Vehicle customization and personalization activities

ABSTRACT

A vehicle control and interconnection comprises a user interface that couples to a display. The user interface has modes of display information that vary based upon a task of a vehicle operator. The modes include a driving mode that reduces menu options available to the operator to those functions related to driving, and enlarges touch screen control icons associated with the displayed functions. Moreover, the modes include at least one non-driving mode that displays information with relatively smaller touch screen control icons compared to the control icons in the driving mode. The system interface also comprises a vehicle interface that couples to at least one vehicle sub system to communicate with vehicle-installed electronic peripherals.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/582,380, filed Dec. 24, 2014, now allowed, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/203,619, filed Mar. 11, 2014, nowissued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,734,528, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/956,073, filed Dec. 13, 2007, now issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 8,694,328, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 60/869,922 filed Dec. 14, 2006, entitled“VEHICLE CUSTOMIZATION AND PERSONALIZATION ACTIVITIES”, the disclosuresof which are hereby incorporated by reference.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/582,414, filed Dec. 24, 2014, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,747,626,the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to systems and methods forproviding customized and/or personalized vehicle pre-acquisitionactivities. The present invention further relates in general to vehiclepost-acquisition activities, including for example, vehiclecustomization and personalization and/or providing vehicle-relatedservices.

Vehicle purchasing decisions can be difficult, time consuming andconfusing for many individuals due to the increasingly large number ofvehicle makes and models available in the new and used vehicle markets.Often times, such vehicle purchasing decisions are further complicatedbecause many individuals find themselves having limited resources todevote to vehicle acquisition decisions. For example, a vehiclepurchaser may have limited time to make a purchasing decision. Asanother example, a vehicle purchaser may have limited vehicle knowledgeand/or a limited understanding of the new and used vehicle markets,financing requirements, etc. Still further, a vehicle purchaser may havelimited access to research tools that may be necessary to make aninformed vehicle purchasing decision.

As such, it is possible that a vehicle owner or operator has settled fora vehicle that does not provide a desired or expected number offeatures, level of performance or quality of service. Additionally, whenselecting a vehicle, it is possible that compromises may be requiredbecause a desired vehicle may not be provided with all of the featuresor capabilities that are sought by a vehicle owner or operator.Accordingly, sub-optimal driving experiences may result.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a vehicle control andinterconnection system is provided. The vehicle control andinterconnection system comprises a system interface and a systemcontroller. The system interface comprises a user interface that couplesto a display. The user interface has modes of display information thatvary based upon a task of a vehicle operator. The modes include adriving mode that reduces menu options available to the operator tothose functions related to driving, and enlarges touch screen controlicons associated with the displayed functions. Moreover, the modesinclude at least one non-driving mode that displays information withrelatively smaller touch screen control icons compared to the controlicons in the driving mode. The system interface also comprises a vehicleinterface that couples to at least one vehicle subsystem to communicatewith vehicle-installed electronic peripherals.

The system controller couples to the system interface. Moreover, thesystem controller comprises a supervisory controller that providescontrol information that is communicated through the system interface toimplement a customized vehicle configuration. In this regard, the systemcontroller implements a mission customization that adjusts two or morevehicle-installed electronic peripherals to coordinate performancecharacteristics affecting operation of the vehicle. Here, the vehicleinterface communicates the control information from the supervisorycontroller to the vehicle-installed electronic peripherals, andcommunicates information received through the system interface to thesupervisory controller for making vehicle decisions.

According to further aspects of the present disclosure, a method ofcustomizing a vehicle driving experience is provided. The methodcomprises receiving, from a data center, a set of travel relatedservices that are specific to an individual, where the set of travelrelated services include trip information for a trip and are receivedinto a control and interconnection system associated with a vehicle.Here, the control and interconnection system comprises a vehicleinterface that interfaces with vehicle subsystems, an operator interfacethat interfaces with an operator of the vehicle, and a system controllerthat communicates with vehicle subsystems using the vehicle interface,and which interacts with the operator using the operator interface.

The method also comprises loading the set of travel related servicesinto the system controller of the control and interconnection system ofthe vehicle operated by the individual. The method further comprisesidentifying, by the control and interconnection system, operationalcharacteristics of the vehicle based upon the loaded set of travelrelated services and at least one vehicle sensor. The method yet furthercomprises generating personalized information in response to theoperational characteristics. Also, the method comprises performing,periodically, an operation to modify at least one vehicle subsystem, bythe control and interconnection system, in response to receiving thepersonalized information, while the vehicle is active during the trip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description of embodiments of the present invention can bebest understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings,where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of various components of a Digi-Driveenterprise according to various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of providing vehicle acquisitionassistance according to various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method of obtaining information forproviding vehicle acquisition assistance according to various aspects ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle evaluation processaccording to aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation offeatures of the control and interconnection system according to variousaspects of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation offeatures of the control and interconnection system as an alternative tothat illustrated in FIG. 4A according to various aspects of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 a block diagram illustrating exemplary supervisory capabilitiesof a control and interconnection system according to various aspects ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view of the interior of an exemplary vehicle having acontrol and interconnection system installed therein, according tovarious aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an exemplary interaction of the vehiclesupervisor and vehicle components of the control and interconnectionsystem according to various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation ofan On-The-Go component of the Digi-Drive enterprise;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating features offered by a real-timeanticipation program for interactive diagnostics to illustrate methodsfor diagnostics and maintenance of a vehicle equipped with a control andinterconnection system according to various aspects of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a flow for obtaining diagnosticsor service utilizing a control and interconnection system on a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description of the preferred embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in whichis shown by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, specificpreferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changesmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, systems andmethods are provided for leveraging vehicle knowledge and know-how aswell as collected vehicle information into a client-centric enterprise10 that provides customized and/or personalized vehicle relatedproducts, services and/or capabilities. For example, an enterprise 10includes a pre-acquisition component referred to generally as BuyerBuddy 12, and post acquisition components including On-The-Go 14 andreal-time anticipation program for interactive diagnostics (R.A.P.I.D.)16. Implementations of various aspects of the present invention that maybe related to vehicle pre-acquisition activities and/or vehiclepost-acquisition activities are referred to generally in thespecification as “Digi-Drive”.

Various aspects of a Digi-Drive enterprise 10 may communicate with adata center 18, e.g., via wired or wireless transmission, such as acrossthe Internet. The data center 18 supports one or more data resources 20to assist in facilitating various aspects of the present invention.Also, in the specification, reference is made to a Digi-Driverepresentative 22 that serves as a technical analyst. In practice, theDigi-Drive representative 22 may be a human and/or machine expert thatis utilized to implement, supplement or otherwise provide technicalassistance to various aspects of the present invention. For example, theDigi-Drive representative 22 may be utilized to either implement orassist in performing functions of the Buyer Buddy 12, such as byperforming technical analysis and other complimentary activities. Stillfurther, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may provide vehicle postacquisition technical assistance, such as in assisting with selectingand/or implementing technical features and/or post acquisition services.The Buyer Buddy 12, On-The-Go 14, R.A.P.I.D. 16 and the representative22 are described in greater detail herein.

Various aspects of a Digi-Drive enterprise 10 may also operate inconjunction with, or otherwise interact with, a Digi-Drive control andinterconnection system 24. For example, the control and interconnectionsystem 24 may comprise any of the various implementations of thetechnology described in greater detail herein, and as described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,590,768, titled, “CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM” and/orU.S. Pat. No. 7,596,636, titled, “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING AVEHICLE CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”, which are herebyincorporated by reference.

As described in the incorporated references, the hardware and softwarecomprising a corresponding control and interconnection system 24provides a vehicle interface to the Digi-drive enterprise 10, such asfor the integration of the various products and services of theparticular Digi-Drive implementation. For example, a control andinterconnection system 24 installed in a vehicle may include hardwarethat interacts with or otherwise implements vehicle subsystems 26. Thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may also implement one or moreinterfaces 28 and may provide a system controller 30 as described ingreater detail herein.

Moreover, one or more of the control and interconnection systemcomponents may communicate with the various components of a Digi-Driveenterprise 10 via a two way communications link 32. For example, thedata center 18 may serve as a remote computer system, e.g., a hub forservicing clients that have vehicles equipped with a control andinterconnection system 24. The data center 18 may also serve as acommunications center, a data center, data warehouse, central datastore, data repository or data processing center for each of theDigi-Drive components. In this regard, the data center 18 may, inpractice, be maintained in a single physical location, or the datacenter 18 may be physically distributed across multiple geographiclocations. The vehicle operator may also interact with various aspectsof the Digi-Drive system via the Digi-Drive representative 22 and/or viaother interaction with the data center 18, e.g., via telephone contact,communication via a personal computer, etc.

In general, the post acquisition services, such as On-The-Go 14 andR.A.P.I.D. 16 integrate with and/or enhance the capabilities of avehicle-installed Digi-Drive control and interconnection systems 24. TheBuyer Buddy 14 provides vehicle pre-acquisition services, and thus mayoperate independently of any of the other Digi-Drive components.However, the Buyer Buddy 14 may also serve as an initiation to providinga vehicle with a corresponding control and interconnection system 24,and may further leverage the vehicle knowledge acquired and maintainedby the post acquisition services to provide its pre-acquisition servicesto new users as will be described in greater detail herein. Moreover, aspecific implementation of the Digi-Drive enterprise 10 need not requireeach of the Buyer Buddy 12, On-The-Go 14, R.A.P.I.D. 16 and the controland interconnection system 24. Rather, an implementation may compriseonly select components or aspects thereof. Still further, the BuyerBuddy 12, On-The-Go 14 and R.A.P.I.D. 16 and/or control andinterconnection system 24 are described with reference to multiplefunctionalities for purposes of illustration. However, a specificimplementation may require all of the functionalities described herein.

The Buyer Buddy

The Buyer Buddy 12 interacts with the central data center 18 tointegrate vehicle data and personal data to provide a customized andpersonalized vehicle experience. For example, the Buyer Buddy 12 may beutilized to perform evaluations and analysis to assist individuals invehicle education, inspection, selection, negotiation and activitiesrelated to vehicle acquisition including purchase, lease, rental orother arrangements for controlling and/or operating a correspondingvehicle. Moreover, where appropriate, the Buyer Buddy 12 can assist theclient in selecting customized options and personalized features thatare implemented by a control and interconnection system 24 that may beinstalled in the acquired vehicle as described in greater detail herein.

Referring to FIG. 2, a method 40 illustrates an approach for providingvehicle acquisition assistance utilizing the Buyer Buddy 12 according tovarious aspects of the present invention. Initial information isobtained from an individual, such as a buddy buyer client at 42. Theobtained information will typically include financial information,vehicle preference information and personal information, butother/alternative information may be obtained as well. The obtainedinformation is stored, such as in a database or other appropriatemanner. After obtaining sufficient information, a preliminary budget isevaluated at 44. For example, financing qualifications may be evaluatedfor the individual based at least in part upon the obtained financialinformation. The evaluation of a preliminary budget may compriseactually pre-approval of financing from a lender or evaluating potentialspending limits based upon information obtained from the individual.

One or more profiles are generated at 46 based at least in part, uponthe obtained information. For example, an individual profile may bederived from the preference and/or personal information obtained fromthe individual. The individual profile is used to classify orcharacterize the individual, identify features, characteristics,requirements for vehicle acquisition, etc. A list of suitable targetvehicles is generated at 48. The list of target vehicles may be based atleast in part, upon the evaluated preliminary budget, the obtainedinformation from the individual, the generated profile(s) of theindividual, research conducted to retrieve vehicle data includingvehicle features from one or more databases and/or other sources. Forexample, vehicle requirements may be determined from simulation resultsand/or other information. The vehicle requirements may be used toidentify target vehicles satisfying the determined vehicle requirements.Target vehicles may be identified that actually satisfy the vehiclerequirements or that are modifiable using available after-marketperipheral devices to meet the vehicles requirements, e.g., byinstalling a control and interconnection system as will be describedmore fully herein.

For example, at least one simulation may be performed to derive at leastone individual characteristic of the individual, e.g., by recording ameasurement of a physical characteristic of the individual or recordinga measurement of a human performance characteristic of the individual.Under this arrangement, vehicle requirements may be determined from thesimulation results and the obtained information by considering therecorded measurements in context with vehicle and machine capabilities.

An iterative approach may then be utilized by repeating a selectionprocess until a stopping event is detected, e.g., a select targetvehicle meets certain identified approval criteria. Vehicle data isretrieved at 50, e.g., from at least one database, for selected targetvehicles, and the field of target vehicles is narrowed at 52 to a listof candidate vehicles, e.g., based upon the obtained information fromthe individual, the generated profile(s), the retrieved vehicle dataand/or the preliminary budget for vehicle acquisition. An evaluation isperformed at 54 of at least one candidate vehicle and a decision is madeat 56 as to whether a stopping event has been satisfied. For example,each evaluated candidate vehicle may be assigned an acceptance rating.If the acceptance rating of one or more evaluated vehicles satisfies theestablished approval criteria, then a vehicle acquisition recommendationmay be conveyed to the individual, e.g., based upon a ranking of theevaluated candidate vehicles. If no stopping event is detected, e.g.,where no vehicle satisfies the approval criteria of the individual, theprocess can loop back to any previous process, (shown looping back toretrieve additional data for purposes of illustration).

If a vehicle satisfies the approval criteria, then it may be selectedfor acquisition from the evaluated vehicle types. Negotiation isperformed at 58 for the acquisition of the selected vehicle. Uponobtaining possession of the acquired vehicle, a control and interconnectsystem may be installed at 60 and customization may performed at 62,e.g., based upon the individual's preferences.

Referring to FIG. 3, as noted above, the Buyer Buddy 12 may utilizevehicle data 70 and personal data 72 to assist a client in selecting anappropriate vehicle for acquisition. Moreover, the Buyer Buddy 12 mayutilize a performance and an analysis engine 74 to assist in evaluatingthe vehicle data 70 and personal data 72 as will be described in greaterdetail herein.

An exemplary approach may be utilized to implement the steps ofobtaining information at 42, evaluating financing at 44, generatingprofile(s) at 46 and identifying target vehicles at 48 into an iterativeevaluation 80. The evaluation 80 comprises implementing guidance at 82,which may collect information from the individual. Based upon initialinformation, a broad field of target vehicles is considered at 84.Client preferences are evaluated at 86 and vehicle features are analyzedat 88. The features analyzed at 88 may include consideration of commonfeatures, standard features, or upgrade features. The evaluation offeatures may also consider new features that are not currently factorystandard on a vehicle. For example, known customizations, such as may beimplemented by the installation of the control and interconnectionsystem 24 (and optionally one or more corresponding peripheral devices)may be considered. Additionally, simulations, driving performanceevaluations, visual aids, models and other tools necessary to assist theDigi-Drive representative 22 in deriving relevant data may be performedat 90, e.g., to gauge whether a target vehicle is likely to meet theperformance and other criteria established on behalf of the client.

The collected information at 90 may also be applied to further thevehicle selection process. A preliminary selection of vehicles isperformed at 94 and a determination is made at 96 as to whether or notthe target vehicle (or vehicle type) is within the preliminary pricerange established on behalf of the client. If the target vehicle priceexceeds the preliminary price range, the process loops back to anyprevious step (shown looping back to the consideration of vehicle typeat 84 for example). If the selected vehicle(s) are within the financialcapabilities of the client, a decision is made at 98 as to whetheraddition vehicles should be considered. If so, the process loops back toany previous step (shown looping back to the consideration of vehicletype at 84 for example). Otherwise, the process is complete and theinitial group of target vehicles has been identified.

The iterative loop back process further allows for the modifications ofselection criteria being considered, such as to trim down the cost or toselect different target vehicles, e.g., different makes, models, modelyear, etc., to accommodate a perceived need to modify existing featuresor requirements, add new features or requirements, eliminate features orrequirements, reduce or eliminate costs, add additional features thatare deemed to be of interest, implement exception processing, orotherwise adjust the feature set to achieve a selection which meets thesatisfaction of the client. For example, a compromise between thedesires and needs of the client, the target vehicle costs and thespending range conditions imposed on or by the client may be requiredfor a specific set of conditions.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 generally, an exemplary approach to obtaininginformation at 42 and/or guidance at 82 includes providing an initialcontact with the client, explaining offerings and discussing theDigi-Drive options available to the client. Information is also obtainedfrom the individual, which may comprise basic facts and other relevantinformation that may be useful in initiating pre-acquisition activities.Such collected information may be stored in the personal data 72.

Upon initial guidance at 82, a broad field of vehicles may be consideredat 84. The evaluation of vehicle type at 84 may be a broad assessment ofvehicle types that may be of interest to the client and may be limitedfor example, to identifying whether the vehicle is intended as apersonal vehicle, work vehicle, recreational vehicle, etc. It provides abasis to start narrowing in the selection process. The vehicle typeassessment at 84 may be derived from client feedback, observation, theintended use of the vehicle, the information obtained at 82 or otherfactors.

Client preferences may be evaluated at 86 by conducting an interview ofthe individual, e.g., via a local Digi-Drive representative 22 or via anelectronic, on-line or other automated interview process. The interviewmay reveal facts, preferences such as wants or needs, restrictions,client interests, preliminary target vehicles, etc., which may be ofinterest in the process of helping a client select a vehicle.Preferences may also be gathered, such as those related to personality,temperament, tastes and other features associated with the client. Inthis regard, the individual may have an open platform to expresspreferences and features. Alternatively, a process may be implemented topresent the individual with organized and itemized choices that may beselected. Such information may be stored, for example, in the vehicledata 70 and/or personal data 72.

The preferences at 86 and the information regarding features at 88 arederived to further narrow the vehicle selection process. As withprevious examples, this information may be derived from the client orfrom other resources. As an example, psychographic profiles may provideinsight into an individual's preferences and may also be instrumental indefining attractive features and possible accessory additions, e.g., asmay be implemented by the control and interconnection system 24.Different perceptions of clients, i.e., psychographics, and othertechniques may be utilized to determine what motivates clients so thatappropriate services and control and interconnection system features,including peripherals and software enhancements, may be recommended tothe client in an effective manner as an integral part of the vehicleselection process.

Moreover, the simulation at 90 may be utilized to extract informationfrom the individual. The simulation at 90 may be used, for example, tocapture physical factors and human performance factors to defineinformation such as capabilities and limitations of the individual,physical measurements of the individual, etc.

A series of performance evaluations may further be performed as part ofthe simulations at 90. For example, by using a simulator includingsuitable visual, tactile or mental aids, an individual can be educatedand evaluated for purposes of identifying desired or required vehicleand/or Digi-Drive options. The simulator and other tools may be used toderive preferences and/or a range of performance parameters that can becollected on individuals during the simulation/evaluation, and which maylater be used, such as to program aspects of a control andinterconnection system 24, described in greater detail herein. Moreover,the simulator and other tools used for evaluation purposes need not becomplex. For instance, observation of physical needs and capabilities ofspecific clients may provide valuable information into the types ofservices and product customizations that are likely to be of interest tothe client.

Measurements taken during the simulation at 90 may include for example,vision and reaction time, hearing, voice commands, strengths, tactile,mental coordination, stamina, identification, which may be visual,audible or from some other source. Additionally driving patterns andhistorical driving patterns as well as driver data and personal data maybe collected.

Several exemplary human performance characteristics such as physicalfactors including arm length, torso length, visual and vocalcapabilities as well as human performance factors including reactiontime, visual movement coordination, strength and other correspondingfactors may be considered in context with vehicle and machinecapabilities and features to provide appropriate vehicle selections,e.g., to select target vehicles that are physically matched to theindividual and which may be within the performance capabilities of theuser.

Still further, objective-based categories such as driver performance maybe considered as part of the simulation at 90 for analyzing driverinterface considerations. Driver performance data may include featuressuch as whether the vehicle environment is highly functional, providesmore or less stressful conditions for the operator, etc. Additionallyspecific objective-based needs of the individual may be considered.

The obtained information including the simulation results may beevaluated, manipulated or otherwise processed, e.g., by the performanceand analysis engine 74, to generate and store one or more profiles,psychographic evaluations, testing results and other information in thevehicle data 70 and/or personal data 72 (See also, the generation ofprofiles at 46 in FIG. 2). The various profiles provide a convenientapproach to organize the client's requirements, desires and limitationsand may also be stored, for example, in the vehicle data 70 and/orpersonal data 72.

In an illustrative example, a client profile may be generated, whichcharacterizes the wants, needs and other considerations that areassociated with a client who is in the process of acquiring a vehicle.The analysis of the client profile may be used, for example, as a factorto consider when deriving target vehicle types that may be appropriatefor the client.

A personal classification profile may also be generated, whichcorresponds to personal classification information. Personalclassification information may comprise, for example, preferences of theclient, machine interface factors, a performance analysis, personalvehicle system requirements and other factors as will be described ingreater detail herein.

The obtained data may also be used to populate one or more profiles suchas a vehicle classification profile and/or a vehicle selection profile.The vehicle selection profile corresponds to selection information, andmay integrate with or otherwise correspond to the vehicle classificationprofile and the personal classification profile. The vehicle selectionprofile includes information such as vehicle model, year, usage,mileage, quality, durability and other like factors. The vehicleselection profile may also store vehicle availability information,vehicle suitability information, feature performance, vehicle ratings,etc. Other data evaluations may also be performed.

The vehicle classification profile and other vehicle data may also bederived from online, electronic, hardcopy and other resources toevaluate vehicle information, such as to ascertain vehicle quality,dependability, usage and other suitable attributes. Further, suchprocessing may consider not only the individual but also groups ofindividuals based upon available data. For example, data may beextracted from previous Buyer Buddy clients, from data collected acrossusers of the control and interconnection system 24, etc. Still further,the obtained information may optionally be communicated back to anational database, such as the data resources 20 of the central datacenter 18.

In one illustrative example, client classifications are established thatorganize consumers into classes and exemplary lists of products,services and features that are most likely associated with that class,e.g., in the form of a feature array template. In this regard, commonfeatures may be organized into packages that are likely to be ofinterest to a large demographic of potential individuals.

By way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, an exemplaryfeature array template class may be designated a “commuter class”. Thefeatures associated with the commuter class may include a music upgradeto include satellite radio, mp3, obstacle detection radar detection, GPSand real time traffic. Comparatively, a “young family” feature arraytemplate class may include features such as a DVD player, video games,redundancy or division of controls throughout the vehicle cabin,obstacle detection, emergency road service, and remote/keyless startand/or entry. Still further, a “business” feature array template classmay include features such as 120 VAC outlets via an appropriate 12 VDCto 120 VAC conversion, corresponding electrical system and powerupgrades, a dispatch or communication system, storage and security. Asyet another example, a “vacation” feature array template class mayinclude features such as trip destination, tow package, GPS, compass andnavigation controls, on/off road optimization of vehicle performance,fuel optimization etc.

Any number of classes and features may be incorporated into the featuretemplates, and the feature templates may evolve over time and/or bedifferent based upon geography, etc. Moreover, the psychographic profileof the individual may be used to determine the most appropriatedemographic (or demographics) and thus the corresponding class(es) fromthe feature array templates to consider. Even people within a samedemographic group may have different perceptions about the benefits orvalue of certain products offered as part of the Digi-Drive system andmay thus be motivated for different reasons. Thus, further customizationmay be carried out to a level appropriate to the client requirements.

Accordingly, a generated profile of the individual may be based at leastin part, upon the obtained information may comprise generating apsychographic profile of the individual and associating thepsychographic profile to a predefined list of vehicle features, e.g.,via one or more feature array templates, to evaluate in identifyingtarget vehicles or classifying the individual using feature arraytemplates that each define products, services and features that are mostlikely associated with that class of individuals for evaluation inidentifying target vehicles. Moreover, the simulation, e.g., at 90, maybe used to generate parameters associated with at least physicalcapabilities of the individual or physical measurements of theindividual.

In order to recommend a vehicle to a client, the Digi-Driverepresentative 22 may understand the client's requirements, desires andlimitations. As such, the simulation at 90 may evaluate driver interfaceconsiderations, which may be considered as part of an evaluationprocess. The driver interface considerations may be complementary and/orcombined with market studies and other vehicle related knowledge. Inthis regard, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may recognize that someclients can fit into several categories so that care must be exercisedto understand their preferences. For example, objective-based categoriesand vehicle measurements may be evaluated to determine appropriatedriver interface considerations. Measurements corresponding with thedriver personalization and preference information, such as may berecorded during the simulation at 90, may be associated with thecapabilities and preferences.

As noted above, finances are evaluated at 44, 94, 96. In this regard,finances may be arranged, computed, predicted or otherwise evaluated.Many people may be unaware of how to compute suitable financing whenshopping for a vehicle. Still further, may people may be too busy toeffectively determine financial requirements when shopping for vehicle.Various aspects of the present invention may be utilized to bringfinancial considerations into play for an independent, informed vehicletransaction.

The vehicle and its selection criteria may be evaluated against aspending range or other measures of affordability that has beenpreliminarily estimated. The financing information may comprise, forexample, preliminary estimates of funds for use in a potentialacquisition, a limit setting determination of maximum funds to be usedin acquiring a vehicle, etc. As a few illustrative examples, financesmay be arranged and/or financial issues related to a vehicle acquisitionmay be explored. For example, a Digi-Drive representative 22 of theDigi-Drive system can assist the client in arranging financing.

The Buyer Buddy 12 may assist the client in ascertaining andunderstanding financial obligations and commitments, by assisting theclient in arranging and securing financial sources, and by understandingwhat the client can afford in view of the client's existing financialobligations.

The data required to perform the evaluation may be derived from anycombination of existing public, private and third party sources of dataand may integrate with the Digi-Drive data center to update profiles,etc. The arrangement of financing may also be utilized to make thepurchase of additional accessories easy and integrated into the vehiclepurchasing process. For example, the cost of the Digi-Drive control andinterconnection system 24 as well as various services, upgrades,features, etc., may be rolled into the arranged financing.

In one exemplary arrangement, a process begins by considering whatvehicle payment will comfortably fit into the monthly budget of aclient. Once a target range has been determined, the system may beutilized to compute and/or otherwise determine how much the client canput down as a down payment, how much they client will need to borrow,and or determine how much the client can afford to spend on a vehicle soas to make last-minute decisions unnecessary during the negotiationstage. In one illustrative embodiment, the Buyer Buddy systemfacilitates all the steps necessary to pre-approve the client for aloan, if a loan is necessary, with a local and/or nationally recognizedlending provider.

For example, the Buyer Buddy 12 may perform an interview and guidancesession with the client to evaluate a range of financial considerationsso that the client can make an informed purchase decision. A monthlybudget may be derived based upon information obtained during theinterview process and a computation is made that is utilized todetermine an amount of money which is required to meet the range oftarget vehicles that are to be evaluated for potential acquisition. Thesystem may further facilitate the arrangement of pre-approved financing,e.g., through interaction with national and local financial lendinginstitutions. Such pre-approval of financing is not required, but may bea beneficial, e.g., when entering into negotiations.

For example, the system may compute a predicted vehicle payment range,and, if the client provides suitable personal financial information, thesystem may factor existing client debt and financial obligations so thata comfortable payment range may be determined. The system may includeand/or factor in considerations such as the price of the vehicle, thecost of insurance, anticipated cost of ownership including maintenanceand fuel costs, extended warranty cost, trade-in allowance, depreciationand other expenses that affect the true cost of ownership of a vehicle.The considerations may be realized such as by polling national and localdata sources, which may be stored at the data center, or independentlymaintained by third parties to the data center.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the identification of target vehicles at 48and/or the retrieval of data at 50 may thus comprise comparing physicalfactors and/or human performance factors of the individual in contextwith vehicle and machine capabilities and features to select targetvehicles that are physically matched to the individual. Otherinformation, such as an evaluation of features including safety,reliability, and value of the vehicle make and model and year may alsobe evaluated. Thus, target vehicles may be selected that are physicallymatched to the individual. Additionally, the retrieval of data at 50 maycomprise utilizing various electronic and hard copy sources ofinformation. Moreover, the control and interconnection system 24 may beutilized to collect and log data from vehicles during use and over thelife of the vehicle. This information may be conveyed back to the datacenter 18. Moreover, this data may be coalesced with logged data fromnumerous vehicles. As such, the mined control and interconnectioninformation from the data center 18 may be retrieved and evaluated. Assuch, evaluation data may include baseline data as well as actual datathat has been tracked and collected directly, e.g., from current usersof the control and interconnection system 24 that are operating in the

As another illustrative example, upon identifying vehicles of interest,a determination may be made as to the OEM vehicle specific accessoryofferings. Such data may be stored and maintained in a suitable database20 in the data center 18, or the Digi-Drive representative 22 mayotherwise obtain this information. For example, manufacturers currentlyoffer vehicles as standard packages, with a generally limited subset ofoptional accessories. Alternatively, after-market/third party providersoffer numerous car care products and accessories that can be installedon the acquired vehicle as an aftermarket add-on. Such listings may bestored, for example, in a master accessories database that includescapability to search/sort the data based upon accessory and/ormake/model of vehicle that the select accessory applies to.Alternatively, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may obtain the necessaryaftermarket information from other suitable sources.

Based upon the aftermarket/third party accessory and OEM accessorylistings, a master index may be created that identifies the availableaccessories e.g., for each target/candidate vehicle. This list may alsobe used, for example, while considering target vehicles. For example, byknowing the list of accessories available to a specific vehicle, theDigi-Drive representative 22 may be able to include or exclude thevehicle from the list of target/candidate vehicles considered forfurther analysis.

Also, the narrowing of target vehicles at 52 may be derived, forexample, from local media sources such as the newspapers, trademagazines, online or Internet related sources, private sources,dealerships and other brick and mortar locations, classified ads, weeklyshopper and giveaway papers, listings on college and business bulletinboards, word-of-mouth, national databases and other print media, onlinesources and other means may be utilized to identify candidate vehicleslocally, regionally or nationally. For example, one or more local zipcodes may be utilized to identify target vehicles within a region orradius of the client. These target vehicles can then be evaluated andnarrowed down to a few candidate vehicles.

The field of target vehicles is narrowed down to one or more candidatevehicles. As an example, the selection of a candidate vehiclecorresponds to the selection of a particular instance of a specificmake, model and year of vehicle. Thus, a candidate vehicle may comprisea specific instance of a target vehicle that is to be evaluated for apotential acquisition.

Depending upon the implementation, the client may have the option ofselecting among “packages” or degrees of customer service from the BuyerBuddy 12. An exemplary approach to differentiating such packagescomprises determining the number of initial candidate vehicles toconsider. For example, for a purchaser of a gold, platinum or platinumplus program (or other suited designation for premium service—comparedto a standard package client), the Digi-Drive representative 22 mayperform an initial confirmation of the current candidate vehicles andeliminate any candidate vehicles that fail to meet the confirmationrequirements.

The performance and evaluation at 54 may comprise assigning vehicleratings to the initial candidate vehicles. The ratings may be based, forexample, on predetermined guidelines that define basic vehicle ratingsand other information deemed of interest in evaluating the candidatevehicles. For example, a basic vehicle rating may be based upon a marketvalue price of the vehicle, which may be further adjusted, such as inview of anticipated target vehicle mileage, vehicle wear, and/or otherlike factors. Moreover, modified ratings may be factored in to thevehicle rating. As an example, the Digi-Drive representative 22 mayreview and analyze resources external to the vehicle, such as vehiclesurvey and rating resources that provide information related to vehicletype, competitive vehicle types and/or similar vehicle types, such asmay be published by private and government controlled vehicle relatedorganizations. As another example, vehicle ratings may be adjusted basedupon a visual inspection of vehicle, from observation of printeddescriptions or other conveyances of information with regard to thespecific vehicle, as well as consideration of information general to avehicle model class and/or year.

Further, modified ratings may be based upon or otherwise adjusted bydata stored at the Digi-Drive data center 18. The data at the datacenter 18 may provide relevant information, e.g., that characterizesvehicle and vehicle operator data, such as from a historicalperspective. Such data may provide a unique insight into vehicleselection by providing relevant data on a regional, local and nationallevel. Moreover, the data collected by the Digi-Drive data center 18 maybe filtered based upon the type of client, thus addressing outlier casesand special circumstances that may not be reflected or accounted forusing external data.

The candidate vehicles may further be assigned an overall rating basedupon the basic and modified ratings. For example, the candidate vehiclesmay be evaluated for features, functions and configurations. Based uponthe overall ratings, features, functions and configurations, theDigi-Drive representative 22 may reduce the initial candidate vehiclelist down to a smaller number of vehicles, e.g., a list of threecandidate vehicles. Alternative numbers of candidate vehicles may beselected based upon the particular circumstances of a given client.Also, a local vehicle availability search may be performed/updated tocheck for comparable vehicles that may be local or more local to theclient.

Referring to FIG. 4, the performance and evaluation at 54 may alsocomprise test driving the candidate vehicles. Before a test drive, anevaluation form or other organizational tool may be kept on paper and/orelectronic means to track the different vehicles that are considered.This may be utilized for example, to show the client which candidatevehicles are being considered, so that selections may be confirmed priorto advancing to detailed evaluations, on-site test drives and otherexaminations of the selected candidate vehicles. A vehicle conditionreport may also be generated. For example, once a candidate vehicle hasbeen selected, a condition report may be generated, derived or otherwiseevaluated to ensure that the vehicle is fit cosmetically and/ormechanically. Further vehicle evaluations may be performed in additionto, or alternatively to those described above by either the Digi-Driverepresentative 22 or by the individual. Vehicle confirmations may alsobe performed, such as after generating a vehicle condition report foreach of the remaining candidate vehicles.

Before a test drive of a selected candidate vehicle 102, a pre-drivebriefing of the client may be performed, e.g. to review features of theselected vehicle and questions may be answered so as to prepare theclient for the vehicle evaluation process. Function and featurefamiliarization and setup are then performed. For example, if the clientis unfamiliar with the particular vehicle or of specific vehiclefeatures and or capabilities, a familiarization process may be performedwhereby the Digi-Drive representative 22 instructs the client on theappropriate and/or proper operation of the vehicle, vehicle accessories,or vehicle functions.

In the process of test driving a candidate vehicle, e.g., as part of theevaluation at 54, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may install a datalogging device 105 in the candidate vehicle to collect data specific tothe corresponding candidate vehicle, such as by recording vehicleparameters during the evaluation. The recorded data is stored in adatabase, such as the personal database 70 and/or database 20 of thedata center 18. The vehicle parameters may be used as at least onefactor in determining the acceptance rating for that candidate vehicle.

The data logging device may comprise any device capable of reading orotherwise obtaining information from the vehicle. As an example, thedata logging device 105, e.g., a chip recorder, flight recorder, vehicleevaluation device or other data recorder is optionally installed in thetest drive vehicle to sense, measure or otherwise collect performancemeasures, e.g., parameters related to vehicle performance. For example,the data logging device 105 may be installed in the vehicle's ODBIIsocket. An exemplary data recording device may comprise for example, theCarChip by Davis Instruments Corp. of Hayward, Calif., USA.Alternatively, the data logging device 105 may connect into a network ofthe vehicle, e.g., the vehicle's control area network (CAN) bus.

As another example, the simulation results, e.g., from the simulation at90, may be used to generate parameters associated with at least one ofphysical capabilities of the individual or physical measurements of theindividual. The simulation results or other obtained information fromthe individual, e.g., preferences, etc., may be used to customize theparameters logged by the data logging device.

The data logging device may also be configured to take data readings inother manners. For example, GPS, radar guns, accelerometers and othertools can be used to extract vehicle performance data in appropriatemanners. The data logging device may be manually controlled and/or thedata logging device may have automatic data logging features. Moreover,other necessary or desired devices, such as a proprietary Digi-drivemonitor, a Digi-drive interface control and display may also betemporarily installed in the test drive vehicle. Accordingly, anycalibration, set up or other steps necessary to prepare the data loggingdevice for proper installation and/or operation is performed. Moreover,if a simulation had previously been run for the individual and/or ifprevious evaluations have been performed, settings from the evaluationand/or simulation may be input into the data logging device, e.g., tocustomize types or nature of the recorded events.

In an exemplary implementation, for a test drive, the client and/orDigi-Drive representative 22 adjusts the vehicle for proper operationand comfort, such as by adjusting the seat and the mirrors, and byensuring that the seatbelts are suitably fastened. Once the client issuitably situated in the vehicle, the Digi-Drive representative 22 mayquery the individual so as to ascertain non-driving and non-performancerelated information. For example, the Digi-Drive representative 22 mayquery the individual to determine whether or not the target vehicle iscomfortable from a driver perspective.

Also, the individual may be required and/or optionally have theopportunity to predict whether the vehicle is comfortable for shortand/or long trips and/or whether or not there are any adjustments whichcannot be suitably made thus rendering the vehicle inappropriate formeeting the target requirements, etc. Additionally, first impressions ofsitting behind the wheel of the vehicle may be recorded. Questionsrelated to fit, head room, legroom, aesthetics including color, theinterior, styling or the options, may be asked and recorded.Additionally questions may also be asked, such as the quality of thegauges and control layout from a convenience standpoint of a particularclient.

A test drive is then commenced and the data logging device is utilizedto extract real performance data. For example, the Digi-Driverepresentative 22 and/or the individual may drive the vehicle andinitiate a series of test drive sequences, such as to test braking,acceleration from a stop, acceleration while passing, hill-climbingpower, cornering, handling, suspension, etc. During the tests, the datalogging device may also record, compute, otherwise determine, infer,etc., vehicle parameters such as torque, speed, real power, emissions,fuel consumption, engine revolutions per minute, throttle data, heat,oxygen data and any other vehicle related characteristics that may becharacterized during the test drive.

As yet a further example, a temporary interface unit 106 may becalibrated (if required) and optionally coupled to the data loggingdevice using either a wired or wireless connection, e.g., a Bluetooth orother wireless technology. The temporary interface may be loaded withthe preferences and optionally, any Digi-Drive features that theindividual may be interested in, e.g., personal settings derived fromthe simulation or other obtained information as described more fullyherein, e.g., with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. This provides anopportunity to simulate at least certain features of the control andinterconnection system user interface for the individual to interactwith, e.g., to visually identify screen icons, menus, etc. to get a feelfor the Digi-Drive features.

Such features may not be “live” as the vehicle may not be properlyfitted for control and interconnection system 24. Also, this provides anopportunity to collect feedback with regard to individual's reaction totheir originally identified preferences.

The temporary interface may also optionally include a communicationsinterface. Such an arrangement allows real-time (or near real-time)extraction of vehicle data and communication 108 of that data back to aremote storage device. Still further, the communications interface mayallow communication 108 to comprise queries to be remotely generated tothe vehicle, e.g., such that a remote processing device, e.g. the datacenter 18 may be used to query the data logging device 105 for specificinformation during the evaluation.

The Digi-Drive representative 22 may also record additional vehicleinformation such as noted visibility including checking for blind spots,seat comfort/ergonomics, interior controls, audio system and otherinterface operations, engine noise, rattles and squeaks, etc., underpredetermined or otherwise established driving conditions. TheDigi-Drive representative 22 may also conduct and record post test drivequeries of the individual to modify or otherwise compensate for pre-testdrive responses.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the data recordedduring the evaluation process at 54, which may include actual test drivedata and information such as preference and opinion data obtained whilequerying the individual during the evaluation may be combined withcognitive information to generate biomechanical derived preferences. Forexample, as noted above, the individual may be consulted on vehicleoperation comfort, convenience, ergonomics, headroom, leg room, controllayout and other similar features. Further individual reaction tovehicle performance may be recorded. The observed and recorded data,e.g., recorded during initial individual interviews and simulations andduring the evaluations at 54 may be correlated with the central caredata resources 20 or other data resources, e.g., in the databases 70,72, to accommodate the best possible test drive experience andevaluation.

Further, human factors considerations may be considered in part of theevaluation process, e.g., those related to safety, comfort, driverperformance, capability, enjoyment, value, etc. For example, humanfactors evaluations may be characterized and/or considered for use whencandidate vehicles are evaluated against the individual profile andvehicle type selection criteria. Still further, a ‘living’, i.e.,adaptive or updatable/changing human/machine interface (HMI) templatedatabase may be created and stored, e.g., in a central database at thedata center 18 so that templates of vehicle operator preferences can betracked and managed. The performance criteria can then be evaluated toassign or otherwise modify an overall rating for each candidate vehicle.

Additionally, the level of evaluation may be based upon the client'spackage. For example, if a client has a preferred arrangement for BuyerBuddy services, a certain level of evaluation may be performed whichexceeds the typical evaluation process performed for the selection ofcandidate vehicles for a client who purchases a “standard” arrangementfor Buyer Buddy services. Vehicles may also be confirmed or otherwisemore fully investigated for preferred clients, e.g., by providing moreextensive research into vehicle history etc.

The Digi-Drive representative 22 may also inspect and/or collect otherforms of performance and maintenance data such as certifications,inspection certificates, maintenance records, service reports or otherinformation, such as from dealership or other servicing records that arerelated to the candidate vehicle. Information including data recordedfrom the test drive, as well as any inspection, certification and otherdocumentation is transmitted to the Digi-Drive data center 18 forevaluation and/or storage and archival.

Still further, the vehicle may be inspected and/or certified during theevaluation. For example, the vehicle may be taken to a mechanic for anindependent evaluation at 54. The mechanic performing the evaluation maybe affiliated or otherwise associated with the Digi-Drive enterprise 10such as through a local, regional or national distribution of partnerservice shops. For example, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may deliverthe vehicle to a certified mechanic for an independent mechanicalevaluation for individuals who have platinum or other preferred status.Inspection services from partners may also be made available for anominal fee, or the client may arrange or specify client-selectedinspection services. In this regard, the inspection/certification may beprovided as part of a standard package for the Buyer Buddy, or theinspection/certification may be offered, for example, as part ofpreferred or premium services.

The collected data from the test drive may be transmitted to theDigi-Drive central data center 18. Baseline results may be analyzed sothat data-driven decisions and objective comparisons may be performed.For example, a physical profile, performance bands or other metrics maybe determined, which characterize the test vehicle, e.g., againstaverage data for a corresponding class, i.e., make/model/category etc.of vehicle. The data collected from the data logging device may be usedto provide insight into information that is not always available or easyto discover. Evaluations may be used to identify any incipient concernsover the specific tested vehicle, to compare specific performance withthe performance of other measured vehicles, e.g., like make and model,and to compare the capabilities of the vehicle to client expectations.

Based upon the evaluation, an acceptance rating of each candidatevehicle is established, and a recommendation may be made as to whetheror not the vehicle is likely to meet the requirements of the client,e.g., based upon the established acceptance rating. The acceptancerating may also be stored in one or more of the databases, 20, 70, 72that is associated with at least one profile, e.g., for improvingclassification and selection mechanisms.

For example, data from the Digi-Drive data center 18 and/or databases70, 72 may be used to generate a comprehensive client report, which maybe based upon some predetermined reporting framework. The client reportmay include observed and recorded data collected in the test drive andevaluation as well as conclusions drawn from the interview andsimulations that may have been performed during the initial evaluations.Thus, the client report may be utilized as an acceptance rating, or anacceptance rating may be derived from the client report.

Moreover, data associated with each test driven vehicle may becorrelated with data maintained by the data center 18 to assist withvehicle evaluation. A comprehensive client report may characterize thevehicle against the data collected from the data logging device, fromother sources, such as inspection certificates, client profile and otherinformation gathered in the preceding steps. The acceptance rating,including the various collected information may then be used to assistthe client and the Digi-Drive representative 22 in making an informeddecision as to the value of the candidate vehicle, and whether thecandidate vehicle is satisfactory for its intended purpose, i.e. tosatisfy the needs, goals, desires and/or other requirements of theclient. Moreover, the data center 18 may serve as a set of checks andbalances to validate and verify the authority and accuracy ofinformation derived from non-trusted locations, which may be reflectedin any generated reports, etc.

If a determination is made that none of the selected candidate vehiclesare acceptable to the individual, a new group of candidate vehicles maybe selected, e.g., by looping back to 48 or any other previous processin the method of FIG. 2. This process can repeat as necessary, e.g.,until a suitable stopping event, e.g., selection criteria/criterion hasbeen satisfied. For example, if one or more of the candidate vehicles isdeemed acceptable and likely to meet the client's requirements, then theprocess can continue.

The vehicle test drive and evaluation process may be iterative andrepeated one or more times, e.g., by narrowing or expanding upon theselected target and/or candidate vehicles. Also, existing third partyreports may be consulted, e.g., by compiling bar graphs or otherpresentations of data to compile a composite score for each vehicle inone or more feature categories. These scores can then be combined intothe overall acceptance rating score for the corresponding vehicle.Additionally, further vehicle specific information can be added, orotherwise used to modify the ranking of a candidate vehicle. Thus, if,overall, a particular model is safe and is ranked as reliable, but theparticular vehicle was in a previous accident or has some maintenancerecords that would impact the generalization of vehicle reliability,then these factors can also be considered to affect the overall scorefor the given vehicle. Moreover, vehicle accessories or installedoptions may affect the overall score. Still further, after-marketdevices, whether present or available for subsequent purchase, may beused to adjust the overall score. Thus, objective comparisons may beperformed for each of the candidate vehicles which were test drivenand/or otherwise evaluated.

As different vehicles are examined, e.g., either via in-personevaluations or via query such as via phone, email or over the Internet,detailed information about each vehicle may be compiled and archived,e.g., at the data center 18. As such, after an evaluation, a vehicle maynot be selected for purchase. However information may be gathered fromthe vehicle which may be useful in evaluating a different clientrequest. Reports may be generated from the evaluation forms to ensurethat the selection criteria correspond with the desire of the client viaa vehicle confirmation process.

During the evaluation periods, including taking any test drives, theindividual can actively participate. Alternatively, the Digi-Driverepresentative 22 can evaluate the vehicles, and present the individualwith only the top selections based upon the individual's criteria andthe previously determined evaluation criteria. Still further, there canbe other interaction between the individual and Digi-Driverepresentative 22. For example, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may doinitial evaluations to eliminate or otherwise narrow down the candidatevehicles to a top tier. Given a top tier, the individual and/or theDigi-Drive representative 22 can perform final evaluations.

Still further, the manner in which the selection process is implementedcan be based upon a particular service package purchased by theindividual. For example, a purchaser of a gold, platinum or platinumplus program (or other suited designation for premium service), canselect to have the Digi-Drive representative 22 perform vehicleevaluations without direct participation by the premium serviceindividual. Under such an arrangement, the Digi-Drive representative 22presents to the individual, a limited selection of candidate vehicleswhich have been prescreened and previously evaluated by the Digi-Driverepresentative 22.

At 58, a candidate vehicle has been selected, thus a negotiatingoperation is carried out to attempt to make a deal for the acquisitionof the vehicle. If a deal is not completed, then control may loop backto any preceding step of the process for further vehicle selection.

As noted in greater detail above the Digi-Drive representative 22 mayassist the individual in the negotiation stage of the vehicleacquisition. This may comprise, for example, a Digi-Drive representative22 acting as a proxy or agent for the individual to negotiate areasonable transaction price. The Digi-drive representative 22 mayutilize resources, including proprietary and third-party resources toanalyze and predict anticipated dealer overhead and cost based uponfactors such as true market value and vehicle history data, such asinstalled options allowances for mileage, etc. Accordingly, the sellerof the vehicle will be less likely to argue inflated numberscorresponding to associated dealer costs. For example, a CarFax reportand/or other information derived from third parties may be utilized tomodify or validate the Digi-Drive representative 22 estimations ofdealer cost. The market value of a select vehicle may be checked, forexample, by consulting Edmunds, the Kelley blue book or otherappropriate publications. If the individual was pre-approved forfinancing or otherwise has funds available to satisfy the terms of theacquisition, such financing or funds may be activated to purchase thevehicle and to order the Digi-Drive control interconnection system forvehicle customization and personalization.

The acquired vehicle may be modified at 60, e.g., by installing and orfine-tuning specific personalized or customized features as selected bythe individual and/or otherwise designated appropriate for the vehiclethat has been acquired. For example, a Digi-Drive control andinterconnection system 24 may be installed in the acquired vehicle,which may have been acquired in response to a vehicle acquisitionrecommendation provided at 56 or otherwise. In this regard, theindividual may wish to customize and/or personalize the newly acquiredvehicle beyond its purchased condition and/or obtain services such asthose described more fully herein. Once the system is installed in thevehicle, the control and interconnection system 24 can be customizedand/or personalized as necessary. For example, personal settings derivedfrom the obtained data are loaded into the control and interconnectionsystem and the control and interconnection system is configured asnecessary to provide customized control over at least one vehiclefeature on the acquired vehicle via a vehicle interface as describedmore fully herein. Also, information such as personal settings,configurations and other related data can be transmitted to the datacenter 18 for storage and archival purposes. Activity at 60 may alsoinvolve interaction with The Digi-Drive representative 22, e.g., tolearn more about features, services and other options, to receivetraining, etc.

In this regard, The Digi-Drive representative 22 may also get involvedin earlier steps, e.g., to provide assistance with issues related totechnical vehicle matters, including the control and interconnectionsystem 24 and how the system can be incorporated into a vehicle. In thisregard, having the capability to customize a vehicle from its currentlyoffered state may modify the selection criteria and the qualificationsfor target and candidate vehicles. These factors may have beenconsidered by the Digi-Drive representative 22 in preceding activities,e.g., at 48, 50, 52, etc. Additionally service and upgrade agreementscan be reached, such as for further customizing providing advancedfeatures and options to the vehicle.

Additional fine-tuning may be performed at 62, e.g., at any time afterthe initial Digi-Drive system vehicle installation and customization.For example, over time, messages and diagnostic information can betransmitted from the control and interconnection system 24 to the datacenter 18 that may suggest the need for modifications. Alternativelytwo-way communication can commence between the Digi-Drive control andinterconnection system 24 installed in the vehicle and the data center18. Such communication can be utilized to provide or modify providedservices, to adjust parameters, settings and other customizedinformation, and to perform other tasks related generally to other finetuning and on-going support of the control and interconnection system24. Additionally, further customizations, modifications, adjustments andother changes may be made to the control and interconnection system 24,such as may be determined by the terms of any optional service andupgrade agreements.

Any necessary and/or desired peripheral devices, such as accessories forthe acquired vehicle may also be ascertained, selected and installed.For example, during the initial interviews, the gathered personal factsmay be used to determine whether an acquired vehicle further needs to befitted with appropriate accessories to meet the suitability criterion.Exemplary services and capabilities of the control and interconnectionsystem are described in greater detail here in as well as in U.S. Pat.No. 7,590,768, titled, “CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM” and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,596,636, titled, “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING AVEHICLE CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”, which have previously beenincorporated by reference herein.

According to one aspect of the present invention, service includingscheduled return of the vehicle with a predetermined period of time maybe of interest to the individual to include further fine-tuning ofDigi-Drive settings. As noted in greater detail herein, the control andinterconnection system 24 is capable of two-way communication with theDigi-Drive data center. As such, for individuals too busy to returnvisit, or where upgrades and patches and other software modificationsare available, remote upgrades and modifications may be performedthrough the transceiver with the control and interconnection system 24on the vehicle.

The Buyer Buddy may be thoroughly trained on the latest products andtechnologies to help the individual find a vehicle and correspondingsystem. The Buyer Buddy representative may further handle thenegotiation and the details of the transaction, from selection toinstallation of any accessories that are not on the acquired vehicle,e.g., the control and interconnect system. Moreover, according to anaspect of the present invention, the personal settings derived fromprevious simulations for road experience and evaluation may be enteredinto the control and interconnection system. Accordingly, when theindividual takes possession of the vehicle, personal features areinstalled and ready for operation, e.g., hands free features such asvoice commands, automatic connections such as blue tooth connections ofpersonal electronics such as cell phones, personal data assistants(PDA), mp3s and other media players, etc.

The Buyer Buddy 12 may also be utilized by an individual, such as wherethe person is intent upon keeping an existing vehicle, but also desiresto have the vehicle outfitted with a control and interconnection system24. In this regard, the individual may go through the buyer buddyprocess by exposing the individual to control and interconnectionoptions. The individual may be evaluated using the simulations, a testdrive may also be implemented, e.g., using the data logging device 105and interface 106, etc.

The Control and Interconnection System

Many vehicle operators compromise their driving experience because anacquired vehicle was not available with a choice of options desired bythe driver. With the control and interconnection system 24, the vehicleoperator may be able to select features of interest that may nototherwise be available to them. Examples may include message alerts,Bluetooth cell phone connectivity, passive keyless entry, obstacledetection, electronic compass, temperature readout, PDA docking, hotspot connectivity, music upgrades such as mp3 playback, remote enginestart and A/C control, real-time traffic reports, hot/cold cups, handsfree voice recognition, rear vision, sonar integration, rear seatentertainment systems, etc.

As described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,768, titled,“CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM” and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,596,636,titled, “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VEHICLE CONTROL ANDINTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”, already incorporated by reference, the controland interconnection system 24 may also be utilized to consolidateredundant vehicle functions and to optimize vehicle placement ofcomponents of the specific vehicle architecture. As an illustrativeexample, the control and interconnection system 24 may utilize a commondata entry point as well as a common display screen and set of controlbuttons for accessing, controlling, and operating peripheralfunctionality and features for multiple, otherwise independent devices.Thus, peripheral providers need not provide redundant displays, I/Ocontrols etc., if they chose to share the common controls. Wheremultiple peripherals share a common set of features, such as a display,I/O, etc., a vehicle supervisor provided as part of the logic of thecontrol and interconnection system 24, maintains appropriate flow,permissions, security and access to the common components, e.g., as setout in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,768, titled, “CONTROL ANDINTERCONNECTION SYSTEM” and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,596,636, titled, “SYSTEMSAND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VEHICLE CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTIONSYSTEM”, already incorporated by reference herein. As used herein, theterm “peripheral” should be interpreted broadly to include devices orother structures that include any combination of hardware and software,and that are capable of interacting with the control and interconnectionsystem 24.

Moreover, certain aspects of third party offerings, e.g., aftermarketaccessories, may be offloaded from the third-party device intoreconfigurable portions, e.g., processing areas of the control andinterconnection system 24 that are reserved or otherwise allocated foruse by corresponding peripheral devices. This allows an integratedsolution and reduces the cost of the third party offering, e.g., byeliminating redundant components. The integration of such aftermarketinnovations into the control and interconnection system 24 furtherallows aftermarket providers an economical platform upon which tocombine and consolidate aftermarket technologies.

It is possible that certain clients may not fully comprehend the levelof customization available to a vehicle equipped with the Digi-Drivesystem. Alternatively, the client may not fully anticipate needs and orrequirements for customization. Accordingly, a Digi-Drive representative22 may be utilized to help a client by guiding the client throughavailable Digi-drive options. For example, assume a client is interestedin voice activation controls. The Digi-Drive representative 22 caneducate the client in voice control options, train the client in how touse the features of the selected option, etc.

By understanding the hardware and software capabilities of the controland interconnection system 24, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may beuniquely positioned to assist a vehicle owner or operator in identifyingthe appropriate level of hardware and/or software of their control andinterconnection system 24. The Digi-Drive representative 22 may alsoassist in configuring the corresponding Digi-Drive system forimplementing customized vehicle capabilities and feature sets, and foridentifying customized operational characteristics, e.g., by programmingappropriate operational parameters and/or other vehicle-relatedcustomizations into a client's control and interconnection system 24.

For example, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may perform necessarysetups and configurations to ease the client's transition with the newoption. Thus, the Digi-Drive representative 22 may set preferences inthe voice activation application, may help the client train the voicerecognition system etc. This way, the client does not get discouragedwith difficult to understand technology that is not adapted to theparticular user. This interaction may be ongoing, beyond the initialpurchase and installation of a control and interconnection system 24into the client's vehicle. Moreover, there are often differences in thelearning speed of individuals. As such, The Digi-Drive representative 22can uniquely cater to the individual preferences and capabilities of theclient, and provide the necessary level of ongoing support required forthe client.

In one exemplary implementation, the Digi-Drive representative 22establishes a compatible set of options from the available preferencesdescribed by a client. The Digi-Drive representative 22 may then wirethe selection data back to the data center 18 for programming of acontrol and interconnection system 24 that is installed in the client'svehicle. As yet another example, the selection data may be downloadedinto the portable device, e.g., wireless phone, GPS, etc., of theindividual so that when the portable device is suitably docked in thevehicle, the control and interconnection system 24 supports thedownloaded features.

By way of illustration and not by way of limitation, an individual whois relatively short may prefer options directed towards properlypositioning floor pedals of the vehicles so that the operator is sittinga sufficient distance from the steering wheel airbag. With theintelligent capabilities of the control and interconnection system 24,pedal position can be arranged in cooperation with variable assist powersteering efforts to find a comfortable rest position for the driver'sheels and elbows, e.g., to optimize driving comfort, visibility, etc. Asyet another illustrative example, an older adult may prefer increaseddisplay/graphic icon and letter sizes or improved night vision/drivingcapabilities. Many other synergies may be implemented across all facetsof customization and personalization in the vehicle-installed andservice aspects of the Digi-Drive enterprise 10.

It is recognized that various vehicle operators have individualizedneeds and/or desires. In this regard, each implementation of the controland interconnection system 24 or aspect thereof, can be customized tomeet the particular needs and expectations of each vehicle operator onan individual basis, whether those needs comprise gadgets, convenience,customization, modernization, communication, personalization, etc. Forexample, a base package may comprise equipping a client's vehicle with acontrol and interconnection system 24 that includes a foundation offeatures such as communications and system command and control.

As noted herein, various aspects of the present invention may beimplemented in “packages” or levels of customization and flexibility.This concept may be applied to the level of capability offered in acontrol and interconnection system 24. As an illustrative example, three“packages” may be provided, such as a “starter” or “express” package, a“premium” package and a “premium plus” package.

The starter package may include software that is loaded directly onto aportable electronic processing device possessed by the individual, suchas a cellular wireless phone with display and processing capability, apervasive computing device such as a hand-held device including palmpersonal computers, etc., or on a positioning device such as a GPSdevice or other electronic component that includes processing capabilityfor use by the control and interconnection system 24. Thus, for example,a low cost entry into the Digi-Drive enterprise 10 may be implementedbecause the display, controls and/or two way communications may beimplemented by a peripheral device already possessed by the individual.

Under this arrangement, the control and interconnection system 24 mayinclude a dock, cradle or other support to load the individual'speripheral device when operating the vehicle. Otherwise, the portableelectronic processing device may be otherwise positioned within thevehicle. The control and interconnection system 24 may also includevehicle-control interfacing hardware, such as a data acquisition devicethat communicates with the on-board diagnostic port (ODB II) of thevehicle or directly across the vehicle network bus in a manner analogousto those data logging devices described herein with reference to FIGS. 2and 3. Still further, the dock or other device may provide for couplingother peripheral devices, such as music players, navigation systems andother devices such that a common interface may provide access to,control over, and customization over the various connected devices.

The premium and premium plus packages may include increasing levels ofintegration, such as those set out more fully herein in U.S. Pat. No.7,590,768, titled, “CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM” and/or U.S. Pat.No. 7,596,636, titled, “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VEHICLECONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”, already incorporated by referenceherein.

As an illustrative example, during operation of a vehicle, a supervisorycontrol of the control and interconnection system 24, e.g., asupervising processor, may provide control information to identifiedperipherals as necessary to implement a customized overallconfiguration. By allowing the control and interconnection system 24 toprovide supervisory control, a corresponding peripheral or group ofperipherals can respond to control commands from the control andinterconnection system 24 in a coordinated manner.

The control and interconnection system 24 need not replace theprocessing typically performed by dedicated controllers. Rather, thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may oversee peripheralcontrollers, e.g., by programming them with high level (supervisorylevel) command information, such as by modifying parameters, set points,operating modes or by providing other peripheral control commandsrelated to vehicle performance. Thus, in one characterization of thecontrol and interconnection system 24, a supervisory processor mayprovide control information to at least one peripheral associated withthe control and interconnection system 24 to coordinate performancecharacteristics of related and/or unrelated identified vehicleperipherals, such as may be based upon at least one determined operatingcondition.

A second characterization of supervisory control relates to overseeingand/or controlling the actions of the various processes and functionsperformed by components of the control and interconnection system 24 tofacilitate interaction between otherwise independent peripheral andvehicle specific devices and components.

As an illustrative example, an interface to a control andinterconnection system 24 may comprise a freely programmable set ofbuttons, which utilizes switch technology with intelligent multiplefunction button assignments to reduce the number of required switchesfor a variety of electronic buttons. For example, a limited number(e.g., 4) buttons may be used to support multiple vehicle functions,e.g., telephone, seat position, climate control and audio/video.Graphics and other indicia may be revealed as icons, such as by usingrear-projected color LEDs and an optical fiber to illuminate a buttonblank so that there are visual cues as to the state of the previouslyprogrammed buttons. Alternatively, a touch panel display may be utilizedsuch that the display of information for multiple devices, and thebuttons or other controls necessary to operate those devices, isintegrated into a single component.

Control and interconnection system Architecture

The control and interconnection system 24 may be implemented so as tostrike a balance between centralized and distributed processing. Oneaspect of the control and interconnection system 24 that enables suchbalance is a system core that provides the ability of a vehiclesupervising processor.

As used herein, the terms “supervisor”, “supervision”, “supervisory”,“supervisory control”, etc., may be used in several different contextsto describe a characteristic of control, oversight and/or managementrelated to at least one aspect of the operation of an implementation ofa control and interconnection system 24. For instance, aspects of thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may provide supervision in termsof personalized feature integration, vehicle peripheral/featureintegration, multi-processor integration, etc. Moreover, the Digi-Driveenterprise 10 may provide supervision over the development and salesdomains of the enterprise.

Thus, the supervising processor of the control and interconnectionsystem 24 may oversee other controllers, such as may be associated withperipherals provided with the vehicle, with native vehicle controllers,and with Digi-drive provided controllers operating under the control ofthe control and interconnection system 24. The vehicle supervisingprocessor may also be able to supervise and control functions of aprocessing space of a corresponding system core. For example, the systemcore of a control and interconnection implementation may comprise areconfigurable processing environment capable of allocating hardware andsoftware space among multiple, diverse peripherals for applicationand/or peripheral specific processing. The system core may furtherinclude a combination of hardware and software for performing varioussystem and administrative functions including support of its processingenvironment as will be set out in greater detail herein.

Referring to FIG. 5, a block diagram illustrates an exemplary view ofselect features of the control and interconnection system. The systeminterface(s) 28 may be broken down into a peripheral interface 28A, auser interface 28B and a vehicle interface 28C. The peripheral interface28A is utilized to communicate with peripheral devices 93. As anexample, the control and interconnection system 24 may exchange datawith a peripheral device 93, integrate information from the peripheraldevice 93 in making vehicle decisions and/or the peripheral deviceinterface 28A may be used to communicate personalization information tothe peripheral device for customized control and/or supervision thereof.

The user interface 28B couples to input/output devices and or a display95 and may be used, for example, to provide a common interface for oneor more features of the particular control and interconnection systemimplementation. The vehicle interface 28C couples to the vehiclesubsystems 26 as described more fully herein. In this regard, thevehicle interface 28C may couple directly to the vehicle subsystems 26.Alternatively, the vehicle interface 28C may couple to a bus or port 97of the vehicle, e.g., a control area network (CAN) bus, an onboarddiagnostic port (ODBII) port, etc. Still further, a vehiclecommunication device 99, such as a hardware device that couples to thevehicle subsystem 26, port/bus 97 or other vehicle structure may be usedas an intermediary between the vehicle interface 28C and one or morecorresponding vehicle features. In this regard, the vehiclecommunication device 99 may include data capture and monitoringcapabilities, as well as communication capabilities for exchanginginformation, e.g., set points, supervisory information, etc. withvehicle components.

As noted in greater detail herein, various aspects of the presentinvention provide for flexible implementation of the control andinterconnection system 24. For example, the system interfaces may beimplemented as software that is loaded into a peripheral device 93, suchas a pervasive computing device, wireless phone, portable navigationsystem or other processor that can be transported into the vehicle.Thus, the peripheral device itself may already include a display,input/output controls and/or wireless communications capabilities thatmay be leveraged by the control and interconnection system 24. Thus forexample, where the peripheral device 93 comprises a wireless phone,etc., the peripheral device itself may also facilitate the wirelesscommunication with the data center 18. In this regard, the systemcontroller 30 may be implemented as software that runs on or inconjunction with the processing capabilities of the wireless phone (orother capable portable processing device).

In addition to, or as an alternative to the above, the control andinterconnection system 24 may be implemented as a vehicle integratedmidplane system having reconfigurable memory as described in greaterdetail below and as set out more fully herein in U.S. Pat. No.7,590,768, titled, “CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM” and/or U.S. Pat.No. 7,596,636, titled, “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VEHICLECONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”, already incorporated by referenceherein.

Referring to FIG. 6, yet another alternative configuration isillustrated. As illustrated, a peripheral device 93 is implemented as aportable electronic processing device 93A, which may include forexample, a wireless phone, GPS, palm computer, etc., that has beenprogrammed, e.g., via a software download to operate the systeminterfaces 28, the system controller 30 and two way communication of thecontrol and interconnection system. Thus, the portable electronicprocessing device 93A may provide GPS and/or communication capabilitiesbuilt therein which is accessed and utilized by the control andinterconnection system. The portable electronic processing device 93Amay dock, rest or otherwise be positioned within the vehicle so as to beable to communicate with a vehicle interconnection component 101 thatcouples vehicle components and other peripheral devices together. Inthis regard, Bluetooth and other wireless technologies may be used wherehardwired communication is not practical or desired. As such, theportable electronic processing device 93A of the individual may beexploited to implement control and interconnection system features, butis not required to be permanently or even temporarily physically wiredto the vehicle, thus promoting portability.

Under this configuration, the vehicle interconnection component 101 mayitself include additional processing circuitry necessary to implementfunctions of the control and interconnection system 24 described morefully herein, including Bluetooth or other communications capabilities.If the vehicle interconnection component 101 is provided with electronicprocessing capabilities, the functions of one or more interfaces 28, thesystem controller 30, or other desired processing may be offloaded tothe vehicle interconnection component 101 so that processing is sharedbetween the portable electronic device and the vehicle interconnectioncomponent 101. In this regard, the vehicle communication device 99described with reference to FIG. 5 or the vehicle integrated midplanesystem having reconfigurable memory as described in greater detail inU.S. Pat. No. 7,590,768, titled, “CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,596,636, titled, “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORIMPLEMENTING A VEHICLE CONTROL AND INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM”, alreadyincorporated by reference herein, may be substituted for the vehicleinterconnection component 101. Thus, the vehicle interconnectioncomponent 101 may not include vehicle supervisory processingcapabilities, but may rather be an interconnecting arrangement tofacilitate interaction between peripheral devices and vehiclecomponents, e.g., by interacting with or otherwise monitoring thevehicle ODBII, network bus, sensors, controllers or other vehiclefeatures, which are under the supervision of the control andinterconnection system 24, e.g., the software executing in the portableelectronic processing device.

As shown in FIG. 6, the peripheral interface 28A may be included in thesoftware loaded into the peripheral device 93A to control the exchangeof information between the control and interconnection functions and thenative peripheral device functions. The user interface 28B may utilizethe display and input/output native to the peripheral device itself, oradditional, external display and/or input output options may beimplemented. Still further, the vehicle interface 28C may serve as thesoftware interface between the control and interconnection system codeexecuting on the peripheral device 93A and the vehicle, e.g., via thevehicle interconnection component 101. In this or other implementations,voice commands may be implemented, e.g., via a voice recognition device103 that integrates with the user interface. As such, the vehicleoperator can navigate the menu options of the control andinterconnection system that are executing on the peripheral device usinghands free, voice initiated commands.

Still further, as illustrated, the user interface 28B may provide“modes” of display information, depending upon the task of the vehicleoperator. For example, if the vehicle operator is driving the vehicle,the display of menu options may be in a “driving mode”. The driving modemay reduce the number of menu options available to the vehicle operator,makes the controls larger, e.g., where touch screen is utilized, andsets the menu options to those capabilities relevant to driving. Theuser interface 28B may also support one or more “non-driving” modes. Inthe non-driving modes, the user interface may contain more data, smallertouch screen controls (if implemented), etc. The user interface innon-driving mode may also contain menu options that include non-drivingrelated items. The menus may also be nested to provide a less clutteredinterface for the user. As an illustrative example, the driving mode ofthe user interface 28A may contain options for music selection,navigation, hands free telephone calls and weather/driving information.A non-driving interface may include menu options to obtaining vehicleinformation, obtain/review logged information such as gas mileage,trip/travel distances, vehicle performance metrics, etc., as well asmenu options for hands free phone usage, music selection, etc.

Referring to FIG. 7, an exemplary architecture 120 of certain elementsof a system core (such as the system controller 30 illustrated inFIG. 1) illustrates an exemplary implementation of a supervisingprocessor and at least certain of its corresponding interconnectionscorresponding to an implementation of a control and interconnectionsystem 24. The below examples illustrate various capabilities that maybe provided, for example, in more integrated packages of features andoptions, e.g., in a premium or premium plus package. The architecture120 includes generally, a real time operating system (RTOS) 122, acommunications interface 124, a supervising processor, which is alsoreferred to herein as a Vehicle System Supervisor (VSS) 126 to betterdistinguish its various exemplary functional components discussed below,an application program interface (API) 128, an interconnectionsub-system 130, one or more memory devices 132 such as flash memory,device drivers 134, a system gateway 136 and a reconfigurable space 104.

The RTOS 122 may be operated on a general purpose processor, or on asuitable processor provided elsewhere within the control andinterconnection system 24. The RTOS 122 provides an operating system forexecuting software, services and other functions provided by the controland interconnection system 24 and the various peripherals connectedthereto. For example, the RTOS may be configured to run Windows CE byMicrosoft Corporation of Redmond Wash., LINUX such as by Red Hat ofRaleigh N.C., QNX Neutrino by Harmon International Company of Ottawa,Ontario, etc. As noted above, the operating system 122 may also beprovided by the native platform of a peripheral device 93.

The communications interface 124 provides a communication path for areconfigurable processing environment consisting of hardware and/orsoftware, e.g., designated by the reconfigurable space 104 and otheraspects of the system controller to communicate with other components ofthe control and interconnection system 24, including for example, otherlogic provided in the system core, such as an input module and/or outputmodule.

The VSS 126 comprises a mission configuration control process 138, amode control monitor 140, an operator interface orchestration process142, a system security and diagnostics process 144 and a softwarecomponent process 146 that collectively function together to oversee theoperations performed in the reconfigurable space 104 and/or elsewhere inthe control and interconnection system 24. The various VSS componentsmay vary depending, for example, upon the platform upon which the VSS isimplemented. For example, the VSS may comprise software that wasdeveloped using a software development kit to execute on an existingperipheral device, e.g., a wireless phone. As such, the limitations inprocessing power, memory and instructions processing capabilities of thespecific platform may limit the nature and functionality of a particularimplementation of the VSS 126.

Under an exemplary arrangement of the VSS 126, the mission configurationcontrol process 138 provides configuration data to peripheralsassociated with the control and interconnection system 24 and/or to oneor more of the processes of the processing logic and other controlcircuitry to oversee integrated operation or otherwise coordinateperformance characteristics of various peripherals, e.g., based uponentered preference data. The mission configuration control process 138may also receive commands issued by the peripherals for access to thereconfigurable space 104. Commands issued by a given peripheral that aresuitably passed by the mission configuration control 138 are inspectedby the system security and diagnostics process 144.

The system security and diagnostics process 144 insures that thespecific configuration requested by or required by the peripheral isauthorized and configured to execute properly within the core. Thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may further integrate with agraphical user such that an operator can modify the operatorpreferences. Further, an operator may alter the operator preferencesbased upon data stored on a portable memory device that may betemporarily docked or other suitable memory reading device, for readingby the system core.

As an example, the control and interconnection system 24 may becustomized in terms of an identified “mission”, e.g., nature ofanticipated applications such as off-roading, towing, use as anindustrial/work vehicle, vacation/travel vehicle, commuter vehicle, etc.Additionally, the control and interconnection system 24 may be furthercustomized based upon operator preference, e.g., seat, mirror and cabincomfort settings, electronics options preferred by the operator, etc.Still further, a combination of mission and operator customizations maybe implemented.

Moreover, during run-time, the system security and diagnostics processor144 may be utilized to ensure that a given peripheral has suitablepermission or is otherwise suitably authorized to access a requestedinformation processing workspace, e.g., within the reconfigurable space104. For example, the security and diagnostics processor 144 may beutilized to determine whether a configuration operates correctly basedupon at least one of mission configuration settings identified by amission configuration controller 138, configuration commands based upondriver settings and alternate parameters provided by the mode controlmonitor 140.

The mission configuration control 138 may also be customized and thenfixed for an individual customer, such as a vehicle owner or operator,e.g., according to preferences, performance data and options such asthose that may be stored in a configuration library, associated with thereconfigurable space 104. For example, performance parameters ofincluded peripherals may be determined through driving the vehicle andby performing simulator tests, such as may be determined when thecontrol and integration system 24 is integrated into an associatedvehicle. Thus, the mission configuration provides supervision of thecustomized vehicle systems.

The mode control monitor 140 modifies the command issued by theperipheral to the system security and diagnostics 144 based upondetecting a particular operating mode or triggering event, i.e.,performance characteristics. The mode control monitor 140 is furtheroperatively configured to dynamically modify the control informationbased upon at least one determined operating condition, e.g., based uponat least one of sensed operational conditions, inferred operationalconditions, sensed environmental conditions and inferred environmentalconditions.

For example, a mode may change via one or more operator enteredparameters such as “off-road” or “sport-handling” selections. Thus, amission configuration process and a mode control monitor may cooperateto dynamically modify configuration data during vehicle operation, e.g.,based upon at least one of sensed environmental conditions, inferredenvironmental conditions, sensed operating conditions, inferredoperating conditions and operator preference data.

The operator interface orchestration process 142 provides a graphic userinterface for an operator, technician or installer to communicate withthe system core, e.g., during development, testing and/or programming ofa specific information, including programming a specific informationprocessing workspace of the reconfigurable space 104. The softwarecomponent 146 securely retrieves and stores software components of theinformation processing workspaces 116 under the supervision of the VSS126.

The API advances development of functions and features of third partiesby allowing programmers and peripheral providers the capability tointeract with existing software using predefined procedures,instructions and other forms of software to quickly and/or reliablybuild code that is compatible with the system core. Documented APIs forapplication classes, documented host/processor communication protocols,proven libraries of code, support packages and drivers may be providedwith, and accessible from the system core. Moreover, the system coresimplifies the design and development of peripheral features by handlingand executing some or all aspects of the peripheral hardware andsoftware infrastructure, e.g., using the information processingworkspaces described more fully herein.

The interconnection subsystem 130 facilitates communications across bothlocal and remote connections. For example, local (direct) connectionsmay couple the control and interconnection system 24 to sensors,actuators, displays, input/output (I/O) devices. Further, services andother features may be implemented across vehicle systems such as a CANbus, LIN bus or other communication pathway. Thus, control and/or datacommunication links can be established between the control andinterconnection system 24 and vehicle brakes, suspension, steering,airbag, and other vehicle operative features across a commoncommunications pathway.

Memory 132, e.g., flash memory, may be used to store informationrequired by the system core, including data required by the RTOS 122and/or software corresponding to the various information processingworkspaces for various peripherals. The flash memory 132 may communicatewith the RTOS 122 via the interconnection subsystem 130 or othersuitable communications data path. Device drivers 134 or other softwarecode may be accessed by the various processors of the control andinterconnection system 24 via the interconnection subsystem 130 toobtain instructions on how to interact with the various peripheralsinstalled in the system, thus the particular device drivers 134 will beapplication specific.

The system gateway 136 is the operational access port or communicationshub for signals entering and exiting to the vehicle system supervisor126 from the other logic of the system core. The system gateway 136 mayprovide necessary communication protocol conversion and message priorityimplementation, perform other operations to properly translate data asrequired by the specific implementation and/or serve as a master messagecontroller. The implementation of a master message controller may beused to enable the different characterizations of supervision describedin greater detail herein. This supervision oversight promotes vehicleintelligence and opens up an almost infinite variety of informationtransmission and control possibilities. A few examples presented forillustration, and not by way of limitation include:

a. Off road driving conditions are sensed using sensors coupled to thecontrol and interconnection system 24, thus the Supervisor, e.g., VSS126 alerts the appropriate vehicle subsystems for proper vehicle dynamic& powertrain control ranges & settings;

b. A GPS and terrain map system coupled to the control andinterconnection system 24 indicates that the vehicle is approaching ahill to climb, thus the Supervisor VSS 126 alerts a hybrid powertrain ofthe vehicle for best torque/energy consumption;

c. Vehicle body windshield wiper senses rain and this input iscommunicated to the control and interconnection system 24, thus theSupervisor VSS 126 may communicate with a vehicle brakes controllerand/or vehicle dynamics controller to compensate for potential slipperyconditions;

d. A roadside transmitter transmits an alarm that is received by thecontrol and interconnection system 24 indicating icy road conditions,thus the Supervisor VSS 126 informs the vehicle operator andcommunicates appropriate adjustments to the vehicle dynamic system;

e. A truck payload changes and this change is communicated to thecontrol and interconnection system 24, thus the Supervisor VSS 126 callsfor the vehicle suspension to be lowered and powertrain torque to bechanged.

The control and interconnection system 24 may integrate logicprocessors, multicore processor architectures with soft core processingcapability, key software elements, control and interconnection systemelements and connections in an open and expandable environment to enablethe next generation of ubiquitous product features in addition to thosefeatures already described. For example, a soft core processor may beincluded in the control and interconnection system 24 hardware for speedof performance and lookup tables (LUT) may be provided for flexibilityof programming and for personal customization.

Moreover, the control and interconnection system 24 may utilize adynamic partitioning to assign resources to the core processor(s), e.g.,when assigning processing workspace within the reconfigurable space 104.Such adaptive partitioning capabilities may be used to prevent taskstarvation when performing a wide range of system functionssubstantially as described herein. For example, under this arrangement,demanding applications are assured that they will have the computationalresources necessary to perform their functions. The integration offeatures such as reconfigurable or reprogrammable buttons and controlsmay be integrated with the concept of the reconfigurable control andinterconnection system 24 and/or software to provide an input outputgeneric implementation that allows easy subsequent reprogramming and/orreconditioning of vehicle operative controls.

Referring to FIG. 8, by utilizing available space in the interior of avehicle having a control and interconnection system 24 installedtherein, it is possible tap into existing controls 145 and displays 147to add additional features which are not available at the time of theacquisition of the vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle wasacquired in a new or used state. Also, as noted above, peripheraldevices may provide the display and/or input output capabilitiesthemselves. Moreover, the display, e.g., a wireless phone, GPS, PDA orother device may be a permanently installed component of the vehicle ora docketed component of the vehicle. For example, the illustrateddisplay 147 may be a portable GPS that is docked into a cradle or otherstorage location in the dash or other convenient location of theinterior of the vehicle. In this regard, a dock (not shown) may beprovided to properly secure the peripheral device(s). The display can bydynamically controlled to display menu options and perform functionsthat are supported by the specific implementation of the control andinterconnection system 24. Thus, the menus and supporting screendisplays can be updated to correspond with included features.

In practice, the control and interconnection system 24 may be locatedbehind the dash, in a passenger kick area, integrated into an add-ondisplay or other device, in a compartment in a trunk of the vehicle, orother practical position, depending upon the vehicle and other systemintegration factors.

Under this arrangement, for example, it may be possible to utilize aninstalled audio system and/or an upgraded version of an audio systemwithin a vehicle to amplify and playback messages received by the systemcommand and control via the communications interface. Where space is notavailable on the instrumentation panel, a touch sensitive display orother input and/or input output device can be added in a convenientposition for operation and interaction with the vehicle operator via thecontrol and interconnection system 24.

Input and output peripherals to the control and interconnection system24 may be ergonomically engineered into the vehicle design, e.g., byincluding input/output control peripherals on the steering wheel, indash, in the doors, trunk or other suitable location. For example, asillustrated, input/output control peripherals are implemented as severalcontrols 145, e.g., switches that are provided on a steering wheel 149and on a console 151. Moreover, control peripherals, including inputsand outputs can be distributed throughout the vehicle. This arrangementallows efficient sharing of resources in key locations within thevehicle, e.g., to provide a common or shared display in the vehicledash, to provide a common data entry port, etc. Still further, a touchdisplay may alternatively be utilized that functions both as the displayand input/output device.

The interoperability of the various aspects of the present inventionallow sharing of resources in an efficient manner such that availablespace, e.g., which is otherwise consumed with redundant aspects ofprocesses, such as power supplies, processors, memory, etc. isoff-loaded to the system core of the control and interconnection system24, thus numerous functionalities can be provided in a relatively smalland clean footprint.

As noted in greater detail above, the control and interconnection system24 can alternatively be implemented, e.g., using a portable peripheraldevice such as a wireless phone, navigation system or other processingdevice as the interface(s) to the vehicle and vehicle operator. In thisregard, the peripheral device may also communicate with hardware of thevehicle and/or of the control and interconnection system 24 for enhancedand customized operation as set out more fully herein. For example, thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may include a wiring harness thatperipheral devices plug into. Thus, devices can be hot-swappable and/orportable. Moreover, such a wiring harness can more permanently interfacethe various implemented features of the control and interconnectionsystem 24 to the vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 9 and with reference in general to FIGS. 7 and 8, aflow chart 150 illustrates one exemplary interaction between aperipheral and the control and interconnection system 24. Peripheral Dprovides vehicle operator performance and preference data 152 foradjusting the operating characteristics of a vehicle based upon operatorpreferences. The performance and preference data may be loaded into theFlash memory 132, e.g., in a reserved memory area allocated as part ofthe information processing workspace associated with the peripheral D.At some point during operation of the control and interconnection system24, a mission configuration command 154 is issued to the missionconfiguration control process 138 and the vehicle operator performanceand preference data 152 is read out from the flash memory 132 via themission configuration control process 138.

In addition, relevant software driver settings, e.g., from the devicedrivers 134, are retrieved at 156 and other related or necessaryconfiguration commands are obtained at 158 e.g., as executed by othersystem configuration commands, such as those controlled by the vehiclesystem supervisor 126 to facilitate interaction between the control andinterconnection system 24 and the peripheral D. Still further, the modecontrol monitor 140 may provide additional parameters or parametermodifications, e.g., as a result of sensing the environment at 160,detecting or inferring mode modifications at 162, or via providingalternative parameters at 164. For example, a mode may change via one ormore operator entered parameters at 163 such as off road or sportselections. Thus, the mission configuration process 138 and mode controlmonitor 140 may cooperate to dynamically modify configuration dataduring vehicle operation, e.g., based upon at least one of sensedenvironmental conditions, inferred environmental conditions, sensedoperating conditions, inferred operating conditions, and operatorpreference data.

Operating conditions used by the supervising processor to providecontrol information to the peripherals associated with the control andinterconnection system 24, such as to coordinate performancecharacteristics of multiple peripherals, may be based upon operatorpreference data. For example, operator entered parameters 163 may beconsidered at 162 by detecting the operator values. As yet anotherexample, operator entered parameters 163 may affect or otherwiseinfluence configuration commands at 158. Also, new condition(s) may bedetected such as by receiving an email at an Internet hot spot. As yetanother example, a mode may change as a result of sensed operationalconditions, inferred operational conditions, sensed environmentalconditions or inferred environmental conditions. For example, conditionsmay be inferred from data analysis, such as slippery road conditions asinferred by data from an automatic braking system (ABS) setting. Thus,according to at least one aspect of the present invention, the VSS 126controls hierarchical communications networks whose overall vehiclesystem configuration is customized and responsive to both operatorselections and environmental conditions, which may be both sensed andinferred.

The system security and diagnostics processor 144 then examines theavailable data to attempt to determine whether the new configurationoperates correctly at 166, e.g., within some predefined bounds, rules orother suitable operating characteristics. If the system security anddiagnostics processor 144 does not approve the configuration, feedbackis supplied to the mission configuration control processor 138 and/orthe mode control monitor 140 to either bring the data into compliance orabort the operation, e.g., if invalid or improper authorization wasgiven, etc. If the system security and diagnostics processor 144authorizes the configuration, then the supervisory processor 126implements various supervisory tasks, e.g., by providing controlinformation to at least one peripheral associated with the control andinterconnection system 24 to coordinate performance characteristics ofpotentially unrelated peripherals based upon at least one determinedoperating condition, e.g., the new configuration in the above example.Moreover, access may be granted to the various processing capabilitiesof the peripherals, e.g., to access the system core 12 including theirassociated information processing workspaces. For example, permissionmay be granted for the peripheral D to access the information processingworkspace 116 associated with peripheral D in the reconfigurable space104.

Additionally, the system core may take various control actions at 168 inthe course of executing the software and/or hardware of the peripheralD. Moreover, the driver interface orchestration process 142 may providea template control, e.g., via a graphic user interface (GUI) 170 andaccess a display 172 to provide visual, audible or other feedback to anoperator, e.g., to modify, i.e., update, upgrade, access, install orremove the software and/or hardware corresponding the peripheral D.

On-The-Go

Referring to FIG. 10, the On-The-Go service 14 interacts with the datacenter 18, e.g., by being implemented at the data center 18 or byotherwise interfacing with the data center 18, to integrate convenienceservices such as travel information 182, feature upgrades 184,entertainment and information 186 and communication 188 into a set ofservices directed towards client personalization. The On-The-Go systemsmay interact with vehicle operators directly such as by loading“On-The-Go” features into the system controller 30 of the control andinterconnection system 24 installed in the vehicle. In this regard, thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may communicate, e.g., via the twoway communications interface 32. Additionally, an individual mayinteract with the On-The-Go services 14 via alternative communicationsapproaches, e.g., via email, text messaging, interacting with anInternet web page, etc., that the individual may access from a fixed orportable computing device, etc.

The On-The-Go system 14 comprises a hybrid of telematics andinfotainment which are integrated into a robust system of services andmethods. In one illustrative example, systems integrate desiredfeatures, client products and services to provide telematic informationas well as entertainment information to the vehicle in a package thatcan be offered on a subscription basis, offered as a service topreferred clients, or via other suitable arrangements.

The data center 18 may be utilized to implement aspects of the On-The-Gosystem on a “fleet” of Digi-drive users. As used herein, the term“fleet” is used in a general sense as a way to loosely identify a“virtual fleet” of vehicles, e.g., a class of vehicles that utilizeservices of the Digi-drive enterprise 10 in conjunction with a controland interconnection system 10, and which may be in data communicationfrom time to time with the data center 18.

On-The-Go may comprise services and features such as travel relatedservices that interact with a corresponding control and interconnectionsystem 24 to provide travel information 182 including reservations,discounts, weather reports, weather conditions, trip tickets and othertravel related data, tips for traveling, other navigation relatedresources that may be desirable by an operator of a correspondingvehicle, real-time traffic reports and other travel related services andinformation.

Many travel services of all kinds are available today from companiesincluding airlines, discount providers, traditional travel agencies,etc. Each travel service has a computerized system that allows someoneto search their website for personalized treatment. The Digi-Driveenterprise 10 may be utilized to exploit strategic alliances with suchservices and selected partners to convey the personalized data from thepartnered services to the vehicle operator so as to facilitatespecialized and personalized trip and travel information, includingpersonalized way points of interest or of necessity.

In this regard, it is noted that because the control and interconnectionsystem 24, which is installed or otherwise docked or positioned in thevehicle, maintains bidirectional communications with the data center 18,it is possible for the On-The-Go system to provide vehicle specificinformation with regard to travel, weather, navigation and traffic,taking in to consideration geographic and other environmentalinformation without requiring direct input or intervention from thevehicle operator to ascertain the vehicle location.

As another example, the On-The-Go system 14 may facilitate a number ofspecialties or upgraded features of the control and interconnectionsystem 24 using the feature upgrades 184. For example, if the vehicleoperator purchases an add-on or upgrade package, such as a vacationpackage, towing package, off-road package, tracking services or otheroptional services, the On-The-Go system 14 may serve as a suitablechannel to facilitate package specific communications. As one suchexample, the On-The-Go system 14 may provide vacation information, tripand travel maps and travel directions, itineraries, identify locationsof rest areas, restaurants and geographic locations of interest. Asanother example, the On-The-Go system 14 may integrate with a vehicleinstalled towing package that communicates with the correspondingcontrol and interconnection system 24 to provide information to thevehicle operator with regards to towing requirements, alternate routesfor carrying loads, monitoring of towing related sensor inputs via thecontrol and interconnection system 24 so as to provide towing relatedservices.

As yet another example, the On-The-Go system 14 may provideentertainment and information 186. In an illustrative example, theentertainment and information 186 feature may utilize channels throughwhich music and video may be downloaded to appropriate playback devicesprovided in the vehicle. The On-The-Go system 14 may also be used as achannel to provide games, software and other entertainment. In order toestablish relevant information and entertainment which is to be providedto the vehicle operator and or others traveling in the vehicle, personalprofiles may be set up and selections of infotainment may be based uponprofiles which may be used to integrate features, such as parentalcontrols for restricted access to certain types of information,preferences, such as for music news and other information desire to bereceived through the vehicle, etc.

The On-The-Go system may also facilitate, via the control andinterconnection system 24, communications 188 that may be personal innature and/or of interest to the vehicle operator. For example, theOn-The-Go system 14 may be utilized to interconnect a personal dataassistant (PDA), cell phone or other communications device to thecentral network of the data center 18. The On-The-Go system 14 mayfurther integrate with, and utilize data derived from or otherwiseextracted from, the control and interconnection system 24. For example,the control and interconnection system 24 may obtain and report avehicle-related parameter, e.g., the vehicle's current fuel level to theOn-The-Go system by monitoring fuel usage, consumption and otherrequirements based upon sensor inputs. The On-The-Go system 14 may thenreturn additional information to the corresponding control andinterconnection system 24 in response to analyzing the vehicle-relatedparameter (and optionally, the known vehicle position). For example, thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may communicate the returnedadditional information to a vehicle display, e.g., to provide to theoperator, fuel purchasing recommendations, fuel locations, etc. Further,the additional information may be utilized by a fuel monitoring systemto initiate an alarm such as a beep or low fuel level warning. Thenecessity to trigger the low fuel warning may thus be based uponinternal and/or external factors. For example, a fuel warning may beinitiated based upon a level of remaining fuel, or the warning may beintelligently determined, e.g., by basing the low fuel level warning onthe remaining fuel level in view of a detected proximity of a refuelingstation (e.g., if vehicle position is also known).

Still further, the On-The-Go system 14 may be utilized to providecommunications related to personal information, which is not directlyassociated with vehicle operation and control per se. For example, theOn-The-Go system 14 may be utilized to present shopping, restaurants,movie theater, landmarks and other locations of interest that may bedesired by the vehicle operator.

By integrating infotainment capabilities, the Digi-Drive enterprisefacilitates the portability of entertainment features using a host ofavailable connection schemes to the vehicle's systems. The operatorinterface 28 may be personalized to the client's desires. Accordingly,combinations of existing aftermarket features, such as mp3 music playingcapabilities, navigation systems, satellite radio, etc., maybe furtheroptimized through functional integration into the control andinterconnection system 24, such as by sharing common controls, thusreducing the cost of entry of such aftermarket features and thusenabling the integration of technologies from diverse third parties intoa cohesive and singular structure.

Personal communications offerings may be employed across a number ofdiverse and alternative communications technologies. For example, asimple communications interface may comprise a wireless cellulartelephone which may be plugged in and connected to the control andinterconnection system 24 to enable sophisticated infotainmentapplications such as shopping, checking current full fuel prices, etc.With onboard monitoring systems of the vehicle operating status, such asintegrated into the control and interconnection system 24, the status ofthe vehicle can be periodically surveyed and problems may be detected,such as by detecting low pressure in the tires, brake drag, enginetiming abnormalities etc.

The On-The-Go system 14 may further be configured to provide vehicleoperator driving tips, such as speed acceleration reminders, warm-uptimes and other useful information to be dedicated to the benefit of thevehicle operator. Data generated by the control and interconnectionsystem 24 may further be collected by the data center 18, and mayfurther be utilized to determine statistics, such as average usages.Such statistics may be further relayed back to individual operators.This allows for example, vehicle operators of similar makes and modelsof the vehicle to evaluate the specific performance of their vehicle,such as in terms of fuel efficiency, maintenance and other factorsrelating to the use, and enjoyment of the vehicle.

Still further, client feedback and community features may be providedand shared with individuals, both at points of contact in the vehicleand outside the vehicle. For example, individuals may be provided with acapability to post to a bulletin or message board via a home computer190, set up blogs or other on-line journals, provide feedback,suggestions and client developed solutions so that clients may alsoparticipate in products, features and configurations.

R.A.P.I.D.

The R.A.P.I.D. service 16 may operate systems that interact with thedata center 18 to integrate emergency services, roadside assistance andautomation of repairs/diagnostics in a client personalized environmentfor vehicles connected to a corresponding control and interconnectionsystem 24. As with On-The-Go 14, the R.A.P.I.D. system 16 may interactwith vehicle operators directly via their corresponding control andinterconnection system 24, or via alternative communications approaches.R.A.P.I.D. may be directed primarily to providing response to troubleconditions such as by providing customized vehicle emergency andtechnical assistance and services.

Referring to FIG. 11, the R.A.P.I.D. system 16 may be utilized toleverage the capabilities of the Digi-Drive enterprise 10 in cooperationwith a control and interconnection system 24 in a proactive manner tomaintain the health of the corresponding vehicle.

As noted in greater detail herein, the system controller 30 of thecontrol and interconnection system 24 may be coupled to vehiclesubsystems 26 which are integrated into the corresponding vehicle, e.g.,such as via vehicle controllers, sensors, actuators, detectors, by avehicle interface 28C. The system controller 30 further integrates withan operator interface 28B, such as for communications between thecontrol and interconnection system 24 and the vehicle operator. Thecontrol and interconnection system 24 further utilizes a two waycommunications link 32 for communications between the vehicle and thedata center 18.

Owing to baseline measurements that may be taken by the control andinterconnection system 24, and based upon collected data, e.g.,nationally collected information gathered by the data center 18 of theDigi-Drive enterprise 10, the R.A.P.I.D. system 16 may be used toanalyze existing problems and anticipate potential problems. In certaincases, remedial actions may be taken to address the issues bydownloading corrective algorithms to the corresponding vehicle. Also, ifroadside assistance or other mechanical repairs are required, thecontrol and interconnection system 24 in the corresponding vehicle maybe used as a check to confirm diagnosis, to suggest the cause of themalfunction or necessity for roadside assistance and potentially torecommend an appropriate course to facilitate the repair.

The system controller 30 of a corresponding control and interconnectionsystem 24 may thus communicate via a two-way communications link 32 witha server located at the data center 18, e.g., to initiate service,repair, predictive and other forms of preventative maintenance andhealth monitoring. For example, the two-way communication from thesystem controller 30 in a control and interconnection system 24 may bereceived by a trouble analysis server 202, or other server associatedwith the data center 18, that has been configured to distinguishcommunications from a control and interconnection system 24 that is inneed of some form of assistance.

As illustrated, the trouble analysis server 202 may communicate with oneor more local service centers 204 to communicate information describingthe requested, predicted, necessary or otherwise desired maintenance ofthe associated vehicle. The local service center(s) 204 may comprise,for example, repair shops, towing companies, vehicle rental shops and/orother locations of interest that can provide the necessary and/orconvenience services for the operator of the vehicle in need ofassistance. The local service center 204 may in turn communicate withhome and/or road service providers 206 such as vehicle rental shops,towing companies, etc. The local service center 206 may also communicatewith parts departments 208 and other necessary sources to properlyobtain required parts for servicing the vehicle, regardless of whetherthe servicing of the request comprises preventative, diagnostic,required servicing or other forms of attention. The home road service206, parts depot 208 or other corresponding entities may furthercommunicate with a service bay 210 or other suitable source, e.g., wherethe vehicle is to be serviced, depending upon the required action.

After the appropriate actions are performed on the vehicle, e.g., byproper servicing by the service bay, a repair verified message iscommunicated to a service coordinator 212. The message may include anyuseful information concerning the repair, including any appropriatemetadata that can be compiled by the data center 18.

The service coordinator 212 may then communicate with the systemcontroller 30 of the control and interconnection system 24 installed inthe serviced vehicle, e.g., via the trouble analysis server 202, such asto verify or validate the repair, to collect information, or tootherwise verify that the event condition that triggered the servicinghas been cleared.

The service coordinator 212 may also have access to repair anddiagnostics algorithms 214, which may be analyzed for diagnostic andrepair purposes. For example, a control and interconnection system 24may enter communication with the trouble analysis server 202 to diagnosea problem. The control and interconnection system 24 may provide thetrouble analysis server 202 with a series of symptoms or other knownconditions, root causes of problems, or identifications of knownproblems. The trouble analysis server 202 may then interact with theservice coordinator 212, which may consult the repair and diagnosticalgorithms 214 to recommend diagnosis, suggest appropriate actions, orotherwise take corrective measures. The service coordinator 212 may alsoconsult with a servicing database 216, such as to locate appropriatelocal service centers qualified to perform the diagnosed repair. Theservicing database 216 may further provide real-time anticipation andinteractive diagnostics support.

The service coordinator 212 may also provide information back to thesystem controller 30 of the vehicle's control and interconnection system24 via the trouble analysis server 202 so as to enhance, update, repair,reprogram, or otherwise make available repair and/or diagnosticinformation to the vehicle. The trouble analysis server 202 may alsocommunicate with other sources, such as third-party diagnostics,servicing and support such as roadside assistance 218, emergencyassistance 220 or through other partners linked to emergency andresponse types of systems, etc.

Referring to FIG. 12, as noted above, the control and interconnectionsystem 24 installed in the vehicle may be equipped with atrouble/concern mode 232 that includes a monitor 234 to detect, predict,query and/or probe, receive or otherwise obtain information aboutvehicle systems to determine trouble or the potential for troublecompared to normal operation, such as by using an onboard troubleanalysis component 236. The detection of a trouble area may trigger theonboard trouble analysis component 236 of the control andinterconnection system 24 installed the vehicle wherein, a sentry report238 and/or analysis may be performed by the control and interconnectionsystem 24. Status information may be broadcast or otherwise transmittedfrom the vehicle, which may be received by the data center 18 or otherappropriate source. Priorities and driver notices may be given andexpanded direction explanation may be provided by the sentry report 238.

Upon detecting trouble, a comprehensive analysis may also be performed,e.g., at the vehicle and/or data center 18 by an analysis component 240.This may include, for example, searching existing data fields,determining the most probable cause for the detected trouble, selectingexpanded test routines and performing other suitable analysis,evaluation, troubleshooting, predictive and adaptive techniques.Moreover, an interactive component 242 may provide real time, nearreal-time or off-line diagnostic interaction with the control andinterconnection system 24 and/or interaction with the data center 18.For example, the interactive component 242 may provide central troubleanalysis routines that perform interactive analysis, such as byutilizing one or more probe routines, e.g., to probe components forerror codes, etc. The interactive component 242 may also investigate keyinformation and provide key results reports, such as by selecting anappropriate action course from list of services etc.

In response to the interactive analysis, a driver care service program244 may be implemented as part of the fleet services offered by the datacenter 18. For example, a driver care service program 244 maycommunicate a best action or most preferred cause of action, initiatelocal actions, such as by contacting roadside assistance and otherappropriate sources, automatically dispatch road services, performautomated or semi-automated parts acquisition and or maintenancerequests, etc. Further, a “ready room” 246 or “fast track” service maybe provided as part of the care fleet services offered by the datacenter 18. For example, service repairs may be completed in minimum timeby advancing the reservation of space in a service bay and/or byrequesting in advance, appropriate service from local service providers.

Moreover, as noted above, the service may be validated, for example, byusing the control and interconnection system 24 and its correspondinginterface to sensor inputs and outputs, bus and/or port connections,etc., of the vehicle to verify that the appropriate corrective actionhas been successfully completed. However, with a successful vehiclerepair completed, the data center 18 may further be utilized to ensurethat the client is satisfied with services provided by the Digi-Driveenterprise 10, by third-party providers, such as repair shops, roadsideassistance providers etc.

The various aspects of the present invention may be embodied as systems,computer-implemented methods and computer program products. Also,various aspects of the present invention may take the form of anentirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingsoftware, firmware, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combiningsoftware and hardware. Furthermore, the various aspects of the presentinvention may take the form of a computer program product on acomputer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program codeembodied in the medium or a computer program product accessible from acomputer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code foruse by or in connection with a computer or any instruction executionsystem.

The software aspects of the present invention may be stored, implementedand/or distributed on any suitable computer usable or computer readablemedium(s). For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable orcomputer readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain or storethe program for use by or in connection with the instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device. The computer program product aspects ofthe present invention may have computer usable or computer readableprogram code portions thereof, which are stored together or distributed,either spatially or temporally across one or more devices. Acomputer-usable or computer-readable medium may comprise, for example,an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus or device. As yet further examples, acomputer usable or computer readable medium may comprise cache or othermemory in a network processing device or group of networked processingdevices such that one or more processing devices stores at least aportion of the computer program product. As such, any physical memoryassociated with part of a network or network component can constitute acomputer readable medium.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presentinvention may be written in any suitable language(s), including forexample, an object oriented programming language, a conventionalprocedural programming language or in higher or lower level programminglanguages. The program code may execute entirely on a single processingdevice, partly on one or more different processing devices, as astand-alone software package or as part of a larger system, partly on alocal processing device and partly on a remote processing device orentirely on the remote processing device. In the latter scenario, theremote processing device may be connected to the local processing devicethrough a network such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external processingdevice, for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider.

The present invention is described with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus systems andcomputer program products according to embodiments of the invention. Itwill be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/orblock diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams may be implemented by systemcomponents or computer program instructions. These computer programinstructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that candirect a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus tofunction in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored inthe computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture includinginstruction means which implement the function/act specified in theflowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The computer programinstructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmabledata processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to beperformed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, one or more blocksin the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a component, segment,or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructionsfor implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently or in the reverseorder.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposesof illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention of the present application in detailand by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent thatmodifications and variations are possible without departing from thescope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle control and interconnection system,comprising: a system interface having: a user interface that couples toa display, the user interface having modes of display information, thatvary based upon a task of a vehicle operator, the modes including: adriving mode that reduces menu options available to the operator tothose functions related to driving, and enlarges touch screen controlicons associated with the displayed functions; and at least onenon-driving mode that displays information with relatively smaller touchscreen control icons compared to the control icons in the driving mode;and a vehicle interface that couples to at least one vehicle subsystemto communicate with vehicle-installed electronic peripherals; a systemcontroller that couples to the system interface, the system controllerhaving: a supervisory controller that provides control information thatis communicated through the system interface to implement a customizedvehicle configuration comprising: a mission customization that adjuststwo or more vehicle-installed electronic peripherals to coordinateperformance characteristics affecting operation of the vehicle; wherein:the vehicle interface communicates the control information from thesupervisory controller to the vehicle-installed electronic peripherals,and communicates information received through the system interface tothe supervisory controller for making vehicle decisions.
 2. The vehiclecontrol and interconnection system according to claim 1 furthercomprising a communications link coupled to the system controller thatenables two-way wireless communication across the Internet.
 3. Thevehicle control and interconnection system according to claim 1 furthercomprising an application program interface that couples to thesupervisory controller, the application program interface interactingwith existing software using predefined procedures to build code that iscompatible with the system controller.
 4. The vehicle control andinterconnection system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of:documented APIs for application classes, documented host/processorcommunication protocols, libraries of code, support packages and driversare provided with, and accessible from the system controller; whereinthe system controller handles executing some or all aspects of theperipheral hardware and software infrastructure.
 5. The vehicle controland interconnection system according to claim 1 further comprising areconfigurable space that is shared by at least one of thevehicle-installed electronic peripherals.
 6. The vehicle control andinterconnection system according to claim 5, wherein the reconfigurablespace comprises reconfigurable hardware.
 7. The vehicle control andinterconnection system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of thevehicle-installed electronic peripherals connects to the vehicleinterface via at least one of a bus or port of the vehicle; and thevehicle-installed electronic peripherals comprises a combinationselected from vehicle installed sensors, actuators, displays,input/output (I/O) devices, controllers, native vehicle devices andthird-party peripheral devices.
 8. The vehicle control andinterconnection system according to claim 7, wherein: a first one of thevehicle-installed electronic peripherals comprises a first vehiclecomponent controller; a second one of the vehicle-installed electronicperipherals comprises a second vehicle controller; and the supervisorycontroller provides control information by programming each of the firstand second vehicle component controllers within the vehicle with atleast one of modified parameters, modified set points, and modifiedoperating modes so that the first and second vehicle controllers operatewith coordinated performance characteristics.
 9. The vehicle control andinterconnection system according to claim 1, wherein: a first one of thevehicle-installed electronic peripherals comprises a first peripheraldevice; a second one of the vehicle-installed electronic peripheralscomprises a second peripheral device that communicably couples to thevehicle interconnection component such that there are at least twounrelated vehicle peripheral devices; and the supervisory controllerprovides control information to at least one of the first and secondperipheral devices associated with the control and interconnectionsystem to coordinate performance characteristics of the unrelated firstand second vehicle peripheral devices, based upon at least onedetermined operating condition.
 10. The vehicle control andinterconnection system according to claim 1 further comprising a systemsecurity and diagnostics processor that verifies that a specificconfiguration requested by or required by a select one of the pluralityof vehicle-installed electronic peripherals is authorized and configuredto execute properly within the control and interconnection system. 11.The vehicle control and interconnection system according to claim 1,wherein: the system controller comprises a processor and processingcircuitry such that the function of at least part of the user interface,the vehicle interface, or the system controller are shared between aportable electronic device paired to the vehicle control andinterconnection system, and the vehicle control and interconnectionsystem.
 12. The vehicle control and interconnection system according toclaim 1, wherein: the supervisory controller selectively customizes thevehicle based upon the mission customization by executing a missioncontroller that configures the vehicle based upon an identified missiondefining the nature of anticipated application of the vehicle, and anoperator preference setting.
 13. The vehicle control and interconnectionsystem according to claim 12, wherein: a select one of thevehicle-installed electronic peripherals comprises a sensor that sensesa real-time parameter associated with operation of the vehicle; and thesupervisory controller further executes a mode control monitor that isoperatively configured to dynamically modify control information duringvehicle operation to select ones of the plurality of vehicle-installedelectronic peripherals based upon at least one of sensed operationalconditions, inferred operational conditions, sensed environmentalconditions and inferred environmental conditions based upon data fromthe sensor.
 14. The vehicle control and interconnection system accordingto claim 1, wherein: the mission customization provides configurationdata to vehicle-installed electronic peripherals communicably connectedto the vehicle control and interconnection system to coordinateperformance characteristics of various peripherals based upon a definedvehicle mission, wherein the defined vehicle mission includes at leastone of off-road travel, towing, industrial work, vacation travel, andcommuter travel.
 15. The vehicle control and interconnection systemaccording to claim 1, wherein: a select one of the vehicle-installedelectronic peripherals comprises a sensor that senses a real-timeparameter associated with operation of the vehicle; and the supervisorycontroller further executes a mode control monitor that is operativelyconfigured to dynamically modify control information during vehicleoperation to select ones of the vehicle-installed electronic peripheralsbased upon at least one of sensed operational conditions, inferredoperational conditions, sensed environmental conditions and inferredenvironmental conditions based upon data from the sensor.
 16. Thevehicle control and interconnection system further comprising: a two-waycommunication device communicably coupled to the system controller,where the system controller receives via the two-way communicationdevice, from a data center, a set of travel related services that arespecific to an individual, where the set of travel related servicesinclude trip information for a trip and are received into the controland interconnection system; wherein: the system controller communicateswith the vehicle-installed electronic peripherals to identifyoperational characteristics of the vehicle based upon the loaded set oftravel related services and at least one vehicle sensor; and the systemcontroller periodically performs an operation to modify at least onevehicle subsystem in response to receiving the personalized information,while the vehicle is active during the trip.
 17. The control andinterconnection system according to claim 16, wherein the systemcontroller is further configured such that: the operationalcharacteristics of the vehicle extracted by the control andinterconnection system are communicated to the data center via thetwo-way communication device; and personalized information is receivedvia the two-way communication device from the data center in response tocommunicating the operational characteristics.
 18. The control andinterconnection system according to claim 17, wherein: the operationalcharacteristics comprise information obtained from sensors associatedwith a towing package on the vehicle; and the personalized informationreceived from the data center comprises at least one of towingrequirements, and alternate routes for carrying loads.
 19. The controland interconnection system according to claim 16, wherein: theoperational characteristics include geographic information andenvironmental information without requiring direct input or interventionfrom the vehicle operator to ascertain the vehicle location.
 20. Amethod of customizing a vehicle driving experience, the methodcomprising: receiving, from a data center, a set of travel relatedservices that are specific to an individual, where the set of travelrelated services include trip information for a trip and are receivedinto a control and interconnection system associated with a vehicle, thecontrol and interconnection system having: a vehicle interface thatinterfaces with vehicle subsystems; an operator interface thatinterfaces with an operator of the vehicle; and a system controller thatcommunicates with vehicle subsystems using the vehicle interface, andwhich interacts with the operator using the operator interface; loadingthe set of travel related services into the system controller of thecontrol and interconnection system of the vehicle operated by theindividual; identifying, by the control and interconnection system,operational characteristics of the vehicle based upon the loaded set oftravel related services and at least one vehicle sensor; generatingpersonalized information in response to the operational characteristics;and performing, periodically, an operation to modify at least onevehicle subsystem, by the control and interconnection system, inresponse to receiving the personalized information, while the vehicle isactive during the trip.